Learning Disabilities as a Symptom of Depression in Children

The presence of depression in school-age children may not be adequately recognized by teachers. Teachers may be misdiagnosing depressed children as having a specific learning problem. The incidence of depression in 282 children admitted to a child and family psychiatric unit for a variety of emotional/behavioral disorders was investigated. While depression was seen as a major factor in the poor learning of the identified depressed children, very few of these children were seen as having specific learning disabilities, even though some of them previously had been diagnosed as learning disabled. Recognition and appropriate treatment of childhood depression by involved professionals is important.