Suicidality in Childhood and Adolescence

Background: The suicide of minors in Germany is rare in absolute numbers: there were only 212 suicides among persons aged 10 to 20 in Germany in 2017. Nonetheless, in school surveys, 36.4-39.4% of those surveyed reported suicidal ideation, and 6.5-9% reported suicide attempts. Suicide among children and adolescents is thus a clinically and societally relevant problem. Methods: This review is based on pertinent articles retrieved by a selective literature search in the PubMed and PsycInfo databases (April 2019) employing the search terms "suicidality," "suicidal*," and "suicide," and on further information from several textbooks (1991-2017). Results: In children and adolescents with a mental illness, the risk of suicide is higher by a factor of 3 to 12. Mobbing experiences increase the suicide risk as well (odds ratio [OR] = 2.21, p <0.05). Non-suicidal self-injurious behavior (NSSB) is also a risk factor for both suicidal ideation (OR = 2.95) and suicide attempts (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.00). Intoxication with medications is the most common method of attempted suicide (67.7%). Most suicides are preceded by early warning signs. Psychiatric hospitalization is indicated for children and adolescents who are in acute danger of doing harm to themselves. Specific types of treatment, family-centered methods in particular, have been found to lessen the frequency of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. The administration of antidepressant drugs to children and adolescents is controversial, as there is evidence of increased suicidality (but not mortality) for single medications. Antidepressant drugs should not, however, be withheld for this reason, if indicated. The prerequisite in all cases is close observation. Conclusion: To prevent suicide and improve outcomes, risk factors for suicide must be considered, and the indications for primary and secondary preventive and therapeutic measures must be established. Online therapeutic modalities may become more widely used in the near future, particularly among young patients, who are well versed in the use of the Internet.