A new study by the Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Central Ohio Poison Center has evaluated the incidence and outcomes from intentional suspected-suicide self-poisoning in children and young adults ages 10-24 years old from 2000 to 2018.
Scientists recently uncovered the rates of suicide attempts by self-poisoning among adolescents in the US, especially in girls and young women- increased by triple. There were more than 1.6 million intentional suspected-suicide self-poisoning cases in youth and young adults reported to U.S. poison centers. More than 71% (1.1 million) of those were female.
Henry Spiller, MS, D.ABAT, director of the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, said, “The severity of outcomes in adolescents has also increased, especially in 10- to 15-year-olds. In youth overall, from 2010-2018 there was a 141% increase in attempts by self-poisoning reported to U.S. poison centers, which is concerning.”
John Ackerman, Ph.D., clinical psychologist, and suicide prevention coordinator for the Center for Suicide Prevention and Research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital said, “Suicide in children under 12 years of age is still rare, but suicidal thoughts and attempts in this younger age group do occur, as these data show.”
“While certainly unsettling, it’s important that parents and individuals who care for youth don’t panic at these findings, but rather equip themselves with the tools to start important conversations and engage in prevention strategies, such as safe storage of medications and reducing access to lethal means. There are many resources and crisis supports available around the clock to aid in the prevention of suicide, and suicide prevention needs to start early.”
According to the Big Lots Behavioral Health experts at Nationwide Children’s, parents should check in regularly with their children, ask them directly how they are doing and if they have ever had thoughts about ending their life. These direct questions are even more critical if warning signs of suicide are observed.
Ackerman said, “There is no need to wait until there is a major crisis to talk about a plan to manage emotional distress. Actually, a good time to talk directly about suicide or mental health is when things are going well. A helpful starting point for any parent to increase the dialogue is OnOurSleeves.org, which has resources about beginning this important conversation as a family. The American Association of Suicidology and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention also have many resources.”
The study is published online today in the Journal of Pediatrics.