Support for Parents Whose Children are Depressed Contrary to popular belief, young children do get seriously depressed, and many try to kill themselves. In Helping Your Child Cope with Depression and Suicidal Thoughts the authors, Shamoo and Patros, show parents: how to learn to talk, listen, and communicate effectively with a depressed child; what situations can cause a child or adolescent to wish to commit suicide; what signs to watch for; myths and misinformation about suicide; how to determine the risk of suicide; and How to intervene.