The Risk of Suicide Among Children and Teenagers

"If tears could build a stairway,
And memories a lane,
I'd walk right up to Heaven
And bring you home again." (Author Unknown)

The news of the tragic suicide of young Olympic skier, Jeret Peterson, is another circumstance that brings to light how fragile the psyche of children and teenagers can be. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Center for Disease Control report that suicide is the third leading cause of death for youth ages 15 to 24.

A child or teenager taking his or her own life is devastating to everyone. It often leaves the suicide victim’s family and friends feeling a sense of responsibility and guilt for being unable to prevent it.

As children and teens grow up, they often feel stress, confusion, peer pressure and concerns about meeting the expectations of their parents and other family members. Sometimes it all becomes too overwhelming.

As parents and family, we can try to help prevent such tragedy in our own families by looking for the signs of potential suicide risk in children. Such risks include difficulty concentrating, performing poorly in school work, withdrawal from family and friends, loss of interest in enjoyable activities, changes in eating and sleeping habits or in hygiene and personal appearance. Other indicators include persistent boredom and rebellious or even violent behavior.

Other worrisome signs are when children or teens make statements inferring that they won’t be a problem much longer, or if they start giving away cherished possessions.