Depression in children aged younger than 13 is uncommon and did not increase substantially between 2004 and 2019, according to a review published in JAMA Pediatrics. Michael Spoelma, PhD-candidate, and colleagues performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies conducted from 2004 to 2019 that provided prevalence estimates for depressive disorders (ie, major depressive disorder [MDD], dysthymia, and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder [DMDD]) in children aged younger than 13. Based on 41 studies in children across the world, the researchers found that pooled prevalence estimates were 1.07% for depressive disorders overall, 0.71% for MDD, 0.30% for dysthymia, and 1.60% for DMDD. There were no significant differences based on birth cohort, between boys and girls, or between high-and low-income countries. The risk for bias was low overall except for DMDD, which was hampered by a lack of studies. “These findings suggest that depression in childhood between 2004 and 2019 was uncommon and did not increase over time, but the lack of data beyond the COVID-19 pandemic is yet to be accounted for,” Dr. Spoelma and colleagues wrote.
