Yes, even newborns can suffer from depression

<p>There is a pearl they teach doctors in medical school: If the doctor feels unusually depressed when he leaves an exam room, the patient he just saw is probably depressed. From this, doctors learned that depression is pervasive, affecting caregivers, spouses, siblings, parents and children as much as the original sufferer. And when the depression is postpartum depression, even the newborn is at risk.</p><p>Newborns depressed? With no life history to weigh them down or make them sad, how can they be clinically depressed?</p><p>The definition of depression is initially hard to imagine in a baby: A mental state characterized by dejection, absence of cheerfulness, feelings of sadness, despair, discouragement, inactivity, and low vitality.</p><p>But brain studies of babies born to depressed mothers show reduced activity in the area of the brain that is responsible for social behavior and positive expression.</p><p>Most of us have known babies who have difficulty feeding and don't sleep well, babies who are unusually irritable. These symptoms may or may not be signs of depression; there are many other reasons for a baby to be difficult. But babies who have sad or expressionless faces, babies who avoid eye contact, and babies who simply stare without focusing on their environment are babies who may be clinically depressed.</p><p>Certainly if the mother is depressed, the risk of her baby being affected is raised significantly.</p><p>A study done in 1999 found that newborn depression may be biochemically inherited due to exposure to the mother's stress hormones, or exposure to her negative thoughts and behaviors.</p><p>We know that when a mother is distressed, she releases higher levels of cortisol into her bloodstream</p><p>This stress hormone makes it hard to think clearly, or to concentrate under pressure. These higher levels of cortisol are passed to the infant and may cause an inherited biochemical depression in babies, present even before they are born.</p><p>After birth, babies are still a part of their mother.</p><p>They feel her emotions as strongly as they did when they were living in the womb and they are completely dependent on her for food and safe keeping. They feel her depression. And a woman who is struggling with postpartum depression is less likely to be able to provide the care a newborn demands.</p><p>Pediatricians may note the child's failure to thrive, but until recently the diagnosis of infant depression was not considered.</p><p>Babies were thought by some to be too immature to experience either physical or emotional pain. We now know that they do indeed feel physical pain, and we are learning that they suffer emotionally as well. It just looks different than it does in adults.</p><p>So what to do with a baby that appears depressed?</p><p>Medication is definitely not an option for infants. Helping the mother is the first and most important intervention.</p><p>It may be difficult for a mother to admit to her feelings. After all, she has a new baby and she is supposed to be grateful and happy.</p><p>But her feelings of isolation, her altered lifestyle, the constant demands of mothering that come with lack of sleep and loss of personal time are huge stressors.</p><p>Allowing her to express her frustration and ambivalence is the first step on the way to a healthier mother and happier baby.</p><p>Mothers can seek counseling and may need medication for their postpartum depression. Fathers, grandparents, and other caregivers can step in and provide care that the mother is temporarily unable to offer. And remember: children are resilient; they adapt to their surroundings relatively quickly and will respond to appropriate care and attention.</p><p>Mother's Day is just around the corner. What better gifts could we give a new mother than compassion and assistance -- gifts that will clearly make a difference for both mothers and babies, now and for years to come.</p><p>Dr. Stacey Kerr, a longtime Sonoma County family physician, graduated from UC Davis Medical School and is certified in her specialty by the American Board of Family Medicine. Her columns are not intended as a substitute for hands-on medical advice or treatment. Consult your health care provider before adhering to any recommendations in this column. E-mail comments to drkerr@the-doctors-inn.com.</p>