Maternal Depression and Child Development

Ashley Caryl

Definition of Maternal Definition of Maternal DepressionDepression

• The caretaker is depressed causing concern for the child’s developmental needs.

• Maternal: Relating to or characteristic of a mother or motherhood; motherly: maternal instinct.

• Depression: Miserable or unhappy

FactsFacts• Twenty percent of parents living in households

receiving welfare showed symptoms of depression in the year 2004, compared with 4 percent of parents in families that did not receive welfare.

• One in ten women who are pregnant will experience depression and approximately 13 percent of new mothers experience postpartum depression.

• The rate of increase of depression among children is an astounding 23% p.a.

• 41% of depressed women are too embarrassed to seek help.

CausesCauses

• A history of depression and mood disorders.

• Poor marital relationship

• Stress factors

• Substance abuse

SymptomsSymptoms

• postpartum blues • Crying, confusion, mood swings, anxiety and

depressed mood. Lasting a few hours to a few days. Beginning within the first week of pregnancy.

• Postpartum psychosis – Delusions, hallucinations and a major

impairment in functioning. Beginning within four weeks

SymptomsSymptoms

• Postpartum depression – Dissatisfaction moods,

fatigue, anorexia, sleep disturbances, anxiety, excessive guilt and suicidal thoughts. Can develop at the first sight of pregnancy.

Possible interventionsPossible interventions

• Pharmacotherapy: treatment of a disease with drugs. (anti-depressants)

• Social Support and psycho educational interventions.

• Family Therapy with school aged children and their parents dealing with depression.

• Psychotherapy

Impact on DevelopmentImpact on Development

• Mother Infant interactionsIntrusiveness

-hostile effect- infants activity is slowed and hesitant-less dependent on caregiver causing mother to pull further away.

Withdrawal-mothers are disengaged.-mothers are unresponsive.

Impact on DevelopmentImpact on Development• Toddlers and

Preschoolers– Child is more

vulnerable than other children as well as at a higher risk of being aggressive, destructive, less creative at play, and in some cases respond negatively to others when approached in a friendly manner.

Impact on DevelopmentImpact on Development

• School Age Children– Develop an impaired

adaptive functioning.– Struggles to solve

problems.– Has difficulty focusing

and paying attention.– Difficulty in mathematical

calculations and solving.– ADHD (Attention Deficit

Hyperactive Disorder)

Impact on DevelopmentImpact on Development

• Adults– depression– Attention

deficit/hyperactivity disorder and learning disorders

– Anxiety– Phobias– Substance abuse and

alcohol dependency

RecommendationsRecommendations

• Physician should watch for signs of mother-child interaction difficulties, and behavioural and developmental problems in the child.

• Ask a few screening questions and facilitate contact with the mother’s physician or psychiatric services.

• Mothers who have taken antidepressant medication during pregnancy should be reassured that much of the evidence to date shows that there is no increased risk of teratogenicity or fetal anomalies.

ReferencesReferences

• http://www.cps.ca/english/statements/PP/pp04-03.htm#Introduction • http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid

=14653• http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm • http://www.medicalnewstoday.com• http://home.att.net/~s.l.keim/DepressiveDisorders.gif