Some scientists and Psychiatrists believe that teen depression may be detected using a simple blood test. This blood test has been developed and is in its early stages but is said to accurately diagnose major depression.
1% of children under age 12 suffer from major depression but from late teens to young adulthood, that figure rises to about 25%. Doctors diagnose depression by asking questions about the symptoms; however, many teens do not communicate well, choose not to discuss their problems, or seek help. If depression is teens is untreated, they are at risk of substance abuse, suicide, physical illness, and other problems.
While this test is still in its preliminary stages of testing itself, doctors have reason to believe that this could be a great advancement in detecting depression issues early enough that other problems do not arise as a result of the depression going untreated. They can also identify the teens that need the most help even if they choose to not talk about their problems.
It could be a while before this test is available for use but it could make a huge difference in how depression, and other mood disorders, are diagnosed and treated with early intervention.
