When Mama Ain’t Happy

About half of children with depressed mothers develop depression themselves, three times the typical risk, the column reports.  Children of depressed mothers are also more likely to be anxious, irritable and disruptive than other kids. They’re also more apt to have trouble in school and turn to substance abuse later in life. Many perpetuate the cycle with their own kids.
But successfully treating a mother for depression can provide long-lasting benefits for her children’s mental health, new research shows.