Book excerpt: Until the early 1980s, there was no official diagnosis for depression in children. But children can, and do, become depressed. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health now estimates that 2.5 million youngsters under eighteen have experienced clinical depression--and the real number may be higher still. "Help Me, I'm Sad" discusses how to tell if your child is at risk; how to spot symptoms; depression's link with other problems and its impact on the family; teen suicide; finding the right diagnosis, therapist, and treatment; and what you can do to help. For parents who have—or suspect they may have—depressed children, here is practical, easy-to-understand information from a compassionate and trustworthy source.