Teenage depression is on the rise, particularly among teenage girls, but mental health treatment among adolescents hasn’t increased at the same rate, a new study suggests.

Depression has far-reaching effects on teens’ ability to be successful in school and beyond if not treated, says Dawn Catucci, a school psychologist at Ardsley High School in New York and licensed mental health counselor who treats teens in private practice.

But while students may exhibit signs warning signs in school, parents may not know a child is struggling until they receive a poor report card, says Kevin Kemelhar, a school psychologist at Beachwood High School in Ohio.

Parents who suspect their high schoolers are struggling with depression can follow the following guidelines to help their child succeed at school.

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1. Determine if students are actually dealing with depression: Depression has many different characteristics and plays out differently at different ages and in teenage girls and boys, says Kemelhar, who also provides therapy to teens in a private practice.

Parents need to stay involved in their child’s life, and know their kid’s basic level of functioning — academically and socially, he says. Then they’ll know to be concerned if their child acts differently for an extended period of time, he adds.

But they should look outside of the typical characteristics of depression, like lack of appetite and wanting to sleep a lot, the Beachwood High psychologist says. “Those things come and go with teenagers as it is.”

If they notice any red flags, parents should talk to their child about how he or she is feeling and determine what next steps to take, including whether to contact the school or seek professional help, he says.

“It’s got to be a priority,” he says. “It can’t be something that’s put off because things can escalate quickly.”

2. Help teens seek and persist with mental health treatment: Parents have to be supportive of their teen seeking mental health treatment, says Kemelhar.

“They don’t hold the insurance,” he says. “They definitely don’t have access to the money, so you need a willing adult to help you manage and navigate through obtaining mental health treatment.”

Teens may need help with logistics, too, like how to find a professional they are comfortable with and how to get to treatment, he says. And while many schools offer some kind of short-term crisis counseling, schools don’t usually provide long-term mental health treatment, he says.

If students are prescribed medication, parents should help teens develop a system to ensure they take it regularly, says Catucci.

3. Pay attention to teens’ behavior outside of class: It’s not just academic performance parents should be concerned about, says Kemelhar, but unscheduled time, too, such as lunch, study hall and the time between school ending and afternoon sports beginning.

While teachers keep pretty good records of students’ academic performance, it’s often these other times that can hurt them, he says.

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Parents could also encourage teens to exercise and, in gentle ways, try to help teens not isolate, Catucci says. For instance, parents could ask their teen to join them on a walk or go to lunch.

Teens need the help that comes from adults, Kemelhar says, especially adults who know them well. “Kids do not do a good job of navigating the whole high school process on their own.”

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3 Ways Parents Can Help Depressed Teens Get Through School originally appeared on usnews.com