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REMARKABLY, depression is defined in the psychiatric dictionary of Hinsie and Shatzki with reference only to adolescents and adults, with no mention of depression in infancy and childhood. Under "reactive depression" one reads:
A mother, intensively joyous at the expectation of rejoining her children after a long absence abroad, was held by federal authorities until the legality of her admission to the country was established. She remained acutely depressed until a decision favorable to her was rendered.
But what was the reaction of her children?
Only a few years ago, a general hospital in Manhattan allowed parents to visit the pediatric service only during the rest hour while the children were asleep; the parents were reassured at seeing their children, but the young patients would not realize that they were not deserted.
From the psychiatric literature, it seems that grief and mourning in infancy and early childhood have been recognized very recently. Bernfeld in 1925 was one of the first analysts to describe sadness and sorrow in infancy. As late as 1926, Freud admitted to grief and mourning occurring in infancy and early childhood in terms of separation anxiety. However, Melanie Klein went further, saying that all children experience depression in infancy.
Anna Freud and Dorothy Burlingham 3 were more conservative, and stated: "It can safely be said, that all children who were over two years at the time of the London blitz could realize that the house will fall down when bombed, and that people often get killed or hurt."