La nacion

Autora: Mónica P. Diner

2/23/2000

CHILD DEPRESSION (Part II and last)

An epidemic of sadness

By Florencia Bernadou

According to University of Buenos Aires' specialists, it may surface in adolescence in the form of inhibitions

According to University of Buenos Aires' Licenciada* Monica Diner, it is also possible to use strategies to improve child self-esteem, at home or at school, "when the disorder is not severe." Some of these strategies are: 1) help children to treat themselves more leniently, for which the specialist recommends to "be very careful with labeling them as clumsy or unable to sing, and so on, because there are certain words that may brand someone for ever"; 2) try to improve a problem area –that in which the child is not performing well- or help him/her achieve an ideal goal he/she cannot attain; and 3) help him/her modify an ideal that is beyond his/her possibilities.