Parents, How would you feel if someone suggested your child seek professional help for depression?

I want to talk to a parent about her son's well-being, but I'm more familiar with the kid than the parent. I don't know what sort of reaction the parent will have. Any pointers?Parents, How would you feel if someone suggested your child seek professional help for depression?
Remember first that no good deed goes unpunished.





Prepare for an angry response, so that you can create a positive one.


Cite specific examples of the behaviors you are witnessing. Keep any judgments or dramatics in your explanations to a minimum at most.


Cite specific sources of references to support your view that these behaviors are depressed.


Have specific resources available for you to recommend to them to assist them with help.





Keep your words and tone casual and so that you can give them as much dignity as possible. Keep any sense of urgency out of your tone and words.





Remember also that doing the right thing is tough. It becomes more so when dealing with parents and their children. Parents will take offense where none is given and be more illogically defensive. It seems you know this all ready and are anticipating this from the way posed your question.





Good luck and proceed lightly and with information. Good for you for helping this child. His life will be the better for your help.Parents, How would you feel if someone suggested your child seek professional help for depression?
Go with your gut. Maybe instead of suggesting they seek professional help, just suggest the idea that the child might be suffering from depression.





Different people have different feelings about therapy and such. Some think that if someone is seeing a ';shrink'; then there's something wrong with them and could take it personally. Others understand that talking to a therapist or psychiatrist can really be helpful.





Personally, I would approach the parents in a way that makes them feel that they don't need to get defensive, but rather that your only intentions are to help their child.
In your place I'd describe the symptoms you see, and suggest the parent might want to mention it to a pediatrician, rather than venturing a diagnosis yourself, unless you're a medical professional. I have personally experienced, and had friends who experienced, people declaring diagnoses for their children that turned out to be wildly wrong and stressed us out considerably. I'd be fine with someone noting that my child seemed very quiet or didn't participate in activities or something ... and I'd follow up on it. But I'd have a problem with a non-professional announcing that my child was depressed, or adhd, or whatever.
It depends. What is your relationship with the child? What kind of signs did you see in his behavior that would point to depression? Are you educated on this topic?





If you strongly feel that it's your place to make suggestions then go ahead. You may not get the reaction you're looking for, but if you feel confident that the boy needs help then do it. At least you'll be able to go to bed at night knowing you tried.





If it were my child I would consider the source. Although I think I would notice it before another random person. I would educate myself as much as possible and go from there.
Oh boy, that's a tough one. Personally, I would be incredibly thankful for their bringing it to my attention. But I know from experience that some people can immediately get so defensive if you say anything that might possibly in any way cast a negative light on their parenting. So proceed cautiously. Maybe you could bring this to the attention of the school counselor or principal first. One of them may know the mother better, and be able to give you some advice on how to proceed. It may even prompt one of the school professionals to talk to the boy or to the mom about it.
Tell the parent you are worried about their kid and maybe talk to the school. Does the kid's parents ignore him a lot. My sister has depression and we found out through the school. Then she started cutting. I would talk to the school/parent immediately. It could get serious and resort to suicide.