Child suicide rates vary by country and age group, with boys being more successful at suicide attempts than girls. Risk factors such as mental illness, family stress, and bullying increase the chances of childhood suicide. Early intervention and prevention strategies, including evaluation by mental health professionals, medication, therapy, and changes in the environment, can reduce the risk of suicide. Limiting access to suicide tools, such as storing potentially dangerous weapons and drugs in a secure environment, can also help.
Child suicide rates vary by country and specific age group, but it is generally among the top 10 causes of death in children, with boys generally being more successful at suicide attempts than girls. Risk factors, such as a history of mental illness, a stressful family situation, or bullying, can greatly increase the chances of childhood suicide. Numerous public health campaigns related to child mental health have explored childhood suicide and worked on developing appropriate intervention and prevention strategies.
Statistics from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry state that among people aged five to 14, suicide is the sixth leading cause of death. For people aged 15 to 24, it is the third leading cause of death. The Centers for Disease Control and National Institute of Mental Health note that one in 100,000 people ages 10 to 14 die by suicide, and 6.9 out of 100,000 people ages 15 to 19 commit suicide. The World Health Organization, using global statistics, estimates the rate for 15- to 19-year-olds to be slightly higher, at about 7.4 per 100,000.
Researchers who have focused on childhood suicide have noted an increase in suicide attempt rates among males in the 2000s, and a number of theories have been developed to explain it, ranging from increased global stress levels to increased use of antidepressant drugs, a known risk of suicide. Children of all ages who develop symptoms such as personality changes, withdrawal, or overt suicidal ideation, such as an expressed wish to die, should be evaluated by a mental health professional so that appropriate treatments can be provided.
Some psychiatric disorders begin in childhood and increase the risk of suicide, making it important to evaluate and treat children who appear to have psychiatric symptoms. These children may be provided with medication and therapy. In children who are at risk of suicide due to environmental factors such as bullying and stress, efforts to change the environment are recommended. Aggressive zero-tolerance policies for bullying in school districts with student suicides can be beneficial, as can the implementation of buddy systems and the provision of information on suicide hotlines.
Early intervention can reduce a child’s risks of a suicide attempt, as can measures such as limiting access to suicide tools. In homes where potentially dangerous weapons and drugs are kept, these should be stored in a secure environment. Handguns, commonly used by boys, should be kept separate from their ammunition and kept in a locked gun safe.
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