Clinical Profile of Mood Disorders in Children.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To described the clinical profile of pediatric mood disorders. Design: Retrospective record review; Ages 16 y. Setting: Tertiary case hospital. Participants: Children 16 year with a DSM-IV diagnosis of Mood disorders. Methods: Records were screened for the period between June 1, 2008 and May 31, 2010. Results: The prevalence of mood disorders was 4.1% (38/930). Mood was depressed in 51.9% and irritable in 33.3% of depressive disorders. Other common symptoms were anhedonia, sleep/appetite disturbances, concentration difficulty and anxiety. Nearly 13.2% had suicidal ideation and 28.5% had comorbid psychiatric disorder. Family history was positive in 39.5%, while an identifiable stressor was present in 50%. Conclusions: The pediatric mood disorders have a unique clinical presentation and requires more research, especially from Indian setting.