Suicide in Children – This book covers the entire syllabus of “Psychiatric Nursing” prescribed by the Universities of Bangladesh- for Basic and diploma nursing students. We tried to accommodate the latest information and topics. This book is an examination-friendly setup according to the teachers’ lectures and examination questions.
At the end of the book previous university questions are given. We hope in touch with the book students’ knowledge will be upgraded and flourish. The unique way of presentation may make your reading of the book a pleasurable experience.
Suicide in Children
Suicides among young people continue to be a serious problem. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for children, adolescents, and young adults age 15-to-24 years. The majority of children and adolescents who attempt suicide have a significant mental health disorder, usually depression.
Among younger children, suicide attempts are often impulsive. They may be associated with feelings of sadness, confusion, anger, or problems with attention and hyperactivity.
Risk Factors:
Certain factors can place people at a higher risk for suicide than others. These are some risk factors that affect children particularly:
✓ Family history of suicide, depression, or substance use
✓ Previous suicide attempts
✓ Untreated depression, anxiety, or other mental illness
✓ Incomplete comprehension of death: if a child doesn’t understand the consequences of their actions, they may be more likely to take deadly risks, such as running into traffic, for example
✓ Self-harm such as repetitively picking wounds, sticking pins into skin, biting fingernails to cause bleeding or pain, self-hitting
✓ Access to means of suicide such as firearms or prescription drugs
✓ Learning difficulties or lack of success in school (child may believe they are a failure)d
✓ Exposure to physical, emotional, or sexual traumatomas
✓ Unstable home environment resulting from situations such as divorce, frequent moves, or multiple caregivers (child may blame themselves for their circumstances)
✓ Negative school experiences such as bullying
✓ Significant recent losses such as the death of a parent, close friend, or pet
Warning signs associated with suicide of children can include:
Change in usual behaviour
✓ Neglecting personal interests or previously enjoyed activities
✓ Dreaming or worrying about death
✓ Increasing problems at school, or problems occurring for the first time
✓ Expressing or demonstrating a general dissatisfaction or disinterest in all activities
Risk-taking
✓ Running into the street
✓ Climbing buildings or tall trees
✓ Ingesting inedible material
Multiple symptoms of depression
✓ Experiencing long-term sadness and/or frequent crying
✓ Developing difficulties concentrating in school
✓ Losing interest in previously enjoyed activities or lacking energy to participate
✓ Having insomnia or frequent nightmares
✓ Routinely not answering questions, or long delays in answering
✓ Complaining of physical aches and pains not linked to verified illness
✓ Experiencing anxiety and multiple fears or phobias
Management:
✓ Positive relationships such as with family, teachers, coaches, foster parents, peers
✓ Positive self-esteem and self-worth
✓ A hopeful view of the future
✓ Effective problem solving and coping skills
✓ Safe and secure home environment
✓ Positive school experience
✓ Ability to communicate their needs, feelings, and thoughts to others
✓ Positive life experiences
✓ Success at school, sports, or arts activities
✓ Involvement in faith/religious communities
Prevention:
At home
Parents and other family members, as well as teachers, coaches, and anyone else who is influential in
a child’s life, can take action to build resilience in that child by:
✓ actively listening, understanding, and validating what they say
✓ teaching a child that mistakes and problems are opportunities to learn new skills
✓ identifying and affirming a child’s strengths
✓ encouraging children to ask for help when it’s needed
At school
Teachers, school counsellors, coaches, and school administrators can all play a role in fostering resilience in children by:
✓ providing safe, structured, and predictable schedules and routines
✓ increasing children’s sense of control
✓ increasing children’s confidence and experience of success by setting achievable goals
✓ teaching positive behaviours
✓ ensuring the appropriate response is taken following the suicide death of a student
✓ implementing suicide prevention programs
Suicide prevention programming in schools is effective when it includes:
✓ mental health promotion that emphasizes strengths-based activities, resilience and help-seeking
✓ meaningful student engagement that gives them a sense of belonging and purpose
✓ training teachers and staff to identify thoughts of suicide in children through gatekeeper training such as the ASIST: Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training
✓ easy and apparent access to mental health support at school
✓ focused and coordinated care following suicide attempts or behaviours that result in hospitalization.
Read more: