Depression/Anxiety

I am reading a good book right now called The Everything Parent's Guide to Children With Anxiety by Ilyne Sandas, M.A., and Christine Siegel, M.A..  There are many, many reasons why a child might develop anxiety in his/her life, too many to list, but this book will be a good guide for you to try to determine what the root issues are and how to help your child.  
Here is a small excerpt from page 5:

"Here are some things to consider as you assess your child's level of anxiety in the home, school, or daycare setting, transitioning, or when socializing.  It is important to note your child will need to have multiple symptoms over a length of time.  Ask yourself if your child shows:

• Inflexibility
• Shyness or nervousness when interacting with others
• Self-critical statements
• Inability to let go of worry
• Avoidance of new or challenging situations
• Difficulty transitioning
• Trouble falling or staying asleep
• Perfectionism"

(Sharren's advice) Before seeking professional help try these things to see if your child's anxiety reduces:

• Make sure your child is getting between 8-10 hours of sleep at night. If your child's anxiety is preventing him/her from falling asleep, still stick to a rigid bedtime so he/she is resting for a total of 8-10 hours of sleep
• Reduce the amount of sugar, candy, caffeine, and food with preservatives your child is consuming and make sure he/she is eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. (Don't forget the afternoon snack!)
• Don't allow your child to spend more than 1 1/2 hours on homework per night, even if it is not totally completed.  (If that bothers YOU, then try to let go of that and your child won't be so bothered either)
• Have your child get some exercise each day. In summer, go outside. In winter, run stairs or laps in a designated area of the house. No stairs? Do jumping jacks, pushups, run in place, etc.
• Make sure you are not making a bigger deal out of things than necessary. This can stress your child out. For example, have a once a week on a Saturday room cleaning time instead if insisting that it is picked up every day.
• Help your child have a good laugh once a day. My husband is notorious for cracking a joke at the most stressful time of an incident, and you know what? It WORKS!
• Let your child tell you about his/her day without commenting or passing judgment. I find the best time to do this is at bedtime. They've had time to unwind and process their day themselves. There is a reason kids don't want to talk about their day right when they walk in the door. If you think about it, aren't we adults that way too?                                                    
I also just checked out a book for my summer reading entitled Helping Your Anxious Child: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents, by Ronald M. Rapee, Ph.D.