ABSTRACT
This work was designed to study the presence of depressive symptoms and disorder in children with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and their effect on glycemic control and academic performance. The study included 100 children and adolescents. They were classified into 2 groups: Group 1 included 50 children and adolescents diagnosed as IDDM treated with 2 shots of insulin per day and had no other chronic diseases and group 2 [control group] included 50 age and sex matched healthy children and adolescents. Both groups were subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical examination, socioeconomic standard [SES] estimation using the Hollingshead 2-factor index, the children's depression inventory [CDI] Arabic Version and children with high score were subjected to ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for research. Data on school performance were obtained from school records and mean glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c] were calculated for the last year for each child with IDDM. The study concluded that children and adolescents with type I diabetes showed higher levels of depression and depressive symptoms than the healthy controls. The risk factors included adolescence, female sex and family history of psychiatric problems. These risky patients are more liable to non adherence to treatment and diet control. The probability of complication is high and educational deterioration is expected. Early diagnosis and treatment of depression, or even depressed mood, may be helpful in the management of type 1 diabetes