Suicide is uncommon in children before puberty; however, its occurrence tends to grow during adolescence. The pediatrician is engaged in the diagnosis and treatment of young persons who are suicidal. On one side, a pediatrician should recognize “warning symptoms” of attempted suicide in children and adolescents. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that teenagers be screened for suicide during visits for acute illnesses and routine check-ups. On the other hand, the pediatrician should give diagnostic and therapeutic support to patients, combining with other specialists to form a team capable of handling all of their needs.
Psychiatric disease, a past suicide attempt, family issues, substance misuse, sexual and physical abuse, gender identity difficulties, and bullying have all been cited as risk factors. Pediatricians play a key role in identifying and detecting these risk factors and working together with other experts to prevent and treat suicide behavior. Pediatricians should also recognize the “warning signals” of suicide, which indicate that quick action is required because attempted suicide can happen in a matter of hours or days.
Another hotly debated topic is the use of antidepressant medicines in children and their link to suicidal risk. The Food and Drug Administration recently added a “black box” warning to antidepressant packaging to draw attention to the potential risk of suicide among adolescents taking antidepressants. The notice states that the risk of suicide increases while commencing therapy or modifying the dosage.
Reference:ijponline.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13052-015-0153-3
