Treating Depressed Moms Helps Kids too

[Angel]

What's good for mom may also be good for her children, according to a recent study.

Study results show successfully treating depressed moms with antidepressants significantly reduces depression or other mental or behavioral problems in their children.

The study was conducted among about 150 mother and child pairs who were evaluated in primary care and outpatient clinics. The percentage of children with psychopathological diagnoses dropped from 35 percent to 24 percent among those whose mothers were in remission from their depression after three months of treatment. On the other hand, psychopathological diagnoses increased from 35 percent to 43 percent among kids whose mothers continued to be depressed.

Among kids with psychiatric disorders at the beginning of the study, the remission rate was 33 percent in those whose mothers got better compared to 12 percent in those whose mothers remained depressed. Among kids with no psychiatric problems at the start of the research, none with mothers who went into remission developed problems vs. 17 percent of those whose mothers who didn't go into remission.

"These findings support the importance of vigorous treatment for depressed mothers … and suggest the utility of evaluating the children, especially children whose mothers continue to be depressed," study authors say.

Study author A. John Rush, M.D., vice chairman of clinical sciences and professor of psychiatry at UT Southwestern in Dallas, says, "The bottom line message is: 'Mothers who are depressed, go get treated for your depression. It will help not only you but your child.'"