children s health issues
Suicidal Behavior in Children and Adolescents
Diagnosis
Identification of risk by parents, doctors, teachers, and friends Parents, doctors, teachers, and friends may be in a position to identify children who might attempt suicide, particularly those who have had any recent change in behavior. Children and adolescents often confide only in their peers, who must be strongly encouraged not to keep a secret that could result in the tragic death of the suicidal child. Children who express overt thoughts of suicide, such as “I wish I’d never been born” or “I’d like to go to sleep and never wake up,” are at risk, but so are children with more subtle signs, such as social withdrawal, falling grades, or parting with favorite possessions. Health care professionals have two key roles: Evaluating a suicidal child’s safety and need for hospitalization Treating underlying disorders, such as Depression and Mood Dysregulation Disorder in Children and Adolescents or 