All adolescents aged 12 and older should undergo depression and suicide risk examinations, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Anyone between the ages of 12 and 21 should have a depression test every year, according to the AAP's 2018 recommendations.
Citing statistics suggesting up to two thirds of depressed teenagers don't receive any care or support and that around 50% of adolescents with depression have their diagnoses made before they become 18 years old.
The AAP health screening, which the AAP recommends, exhorts healthcare professionals to evaluate risk using a series of questions.
Children, adolescents, and young adults face genuine and common mental health difficulties.
An alarming number of young people battled feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and suicidal thoughts even before the pandemic, and rates have risen in recent years.