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CHILD AND ADOLESCENT SUICIDE

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT SUICIDE. PREVENTION AND INFORMATION. Training Objectives. Identify the Warning Signs of Child and Adolescent Suicide Recognize the Risk Factors of Child and Adolescent Suicide Identify Steps Parents and Adults can Take to Prevent Child and Adolescent Suicide.

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CHILD AND ADOLESCENT SUICIDE

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  1. CHILD AND ADOLESCENT SUICIDE PREVENTION AND INFORMATION

  2. Training Objectives • Identify the Warning Signs of Child and Adolescent Suicide • Recognize the Risk Factors of Child and Adolescent Suicide • Identify Steps Parents and Adults can Take to Prevent Child and Adolescent Suicide

  3. Child and Adolescent Suicide Childhood and Adolescence can be stressful times for children. Children may feel depressed, or they may have feelings of fear and confusion. When problems grow, many children and adolescents feel their only solution is suicide.

  4. In the United States • Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds in the United States. • Suicide is the sixth leading cause of death for 5 to 14 year olds in the United States.

  5. In Missouri • In 2006, 21 children died of self-inflicted injury. 14 were ages 15-17 years old; 7 were ages 10-14 years old. • Suffocation/Strangulation and Firearms are the most common mechanism of suicide among Missouri children. • Of the 21 suicide victims ages 17 and under, 7 had displayed one or more warning signs.

  6. In 2006, a 15-year-old shot himself with a gun belonging to his father. The gun was kept in a lock box, but the teen found the key. Friends were aware that he had threatened suicide in the past, but the parents denied any knowledge that their son was having suicidal ideations.

  7. In 2006, a 13-year-old hung himself in the basement of his home. He was depressed over poor grades and had been told he would have to repeat the seventh grade.

  8. Warning Signs The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry lists the following Warning Signs of suicide: • Withdrawal from friends, family, and regular activities • Change in eating and sleeping habits • Unusual neglect of personal appearance • Drug and alcohol use

  9. • Violent actions, rebellious behavior, or running away • Personality change • Frequent complaints about physical symptoms, often related to emotions, such as stomachaches, headaches, fatigue, etc. • Difficulty concentrating, or a decline in schoolwork

  10. • Threats of suicide • Acting out behaviors and running away • Preoccupation with death and dying • Doesn’t respond to praise

  11. Risk Factors There are both Warning Signs and Risk Factors of child and adolescent suicide. The following are Risk Factors: • Previous attempt of suicide • Family history of suicide • Access to firearms and prescription drugs • Preoccupation with morbid or violent themes

  12. What To Do If You Think A Child Is Suicidal? Mental Health America suggests the following: ▪ Ask the child or teen if they feel depressed or thinks about suicide or death. Speaking honestly and openly allows a child to confide in you and gives you a chance to express your concern. Listen to his or her thoughts and feelings in a caring and respectful manner.

  13. ▪ Let the child or teen know that you care and want to help. ▪ Supply the child or teen with local resources, such as a crisis hotline or the location of a mental health clinic. If the child or teen is a student, find out if there are any available mental health professionals at the school and let the child know about them.

  14. ▪ Seek professional help. It is essential to seek expert advice from a mental health professional that has experience helping depressed children and teens. ▪ Alert key adults in the child’s life-family, friends, and teachers. Inform the child’s parents or primary caregiver, and recommend that they seek professional assistance for their child or teen.

  15. Prevention Recommendations ▪ It is important for children with behavioral problems, possible mental disorders (such as depression and impulse-control disorders) and substance abuse problems to get early treatment. ▪ Limit young people’s access to lethal means of suicide, including firearms. ▪ Always take threats of suicide seriously.

  16. Additional Resources • 1-800-SUICIDE, http://www.hopeline.com/ • 1-800-999-9999, http://www.nineline.org/ • 1-800-273-TALK, http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/suicideprevention/concerned.asp • Life Crisis Services (St. Louis area), 314-647-HELP • Mid-Missouri Crisis Line, 1-888-761-HELP

  17. Additional Resources • Missouri Department of Mental Health, http://www.dmh.mo.gov/cps/issues/suicide.htm • KUTO (Kids Under Twenty-One), http://www.kuto.org/ • Suicide Prevention Resource Center, http://www.sprc.org/ • American Academy of Childhood and Adolescent Psychiatry, http://www.aacap.org/page.ww?section=Facts+for+Families&name=Teen+Suicide • Mental Health America,http://www.nmha.org/index.cfm?objectid=C7DF98D7-1372-4D20-C8A64BC67FFA74CD

  18. Missouri Department of Social Services State Technical Assistance Team Address: PO Box 208Jefferson City, MO 65102-0208 Telephone: (573) 751-5980(800) 487-1626(8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST, Monday – Friday) Email: dls.stat@dss.mo.gov

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