The dexamethasone suppression test in prepubertal depressed children.

The authors evaluated 18 dysphoric children aged 6--12 years by structured clinical assessments and an overnight dexamethasone suppression test (DST) administered on an outpatient basis. Nine children met diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder, and 8 of the 9 also met the Research Diagnostic Criteria for endogenous depression. Of the 9 depressed children, 5 had abnormal DST results; 8 of the 9 nondepressed children had normal test results. The results suggest that endogenous depression in childhood is not a rare condition and that it is clinically and neuroendocrinologically similar to the adult disorder. The DST may be useful as a diagnostic aid with depressed children.