News

Initially reported as an accidental hanging the report now concludes suicide.

Posted on Feb 09, 2009

It’s just difficult to appreciate how a 10-year old boy in fifth grade could choose to take his own life? My undergraduate degree is in psychology and I worked at Butler Hospital's psychiatric unit, so this subject is more than just a passing news article. When a person makes the decision to take their own life it's not easily understood by those left behind. Here in central Iowa we've had several lately related to the downturn in the economy. Each incident adds a new layer of shock to this community. In today's report it was a ten-year old boy; something I find difficult to believe. A boy that young isn't trying to kill himself, he may be trying to get someone's attention and his attempt simply gets away from his ability to control the outcome. Read with me.

An Evanston, Illinois school boy is reported to have died accidentally from hanging in the bath room. At the time the Associated Press reported on the incident there were few details. Follow the link to read this story. The mother denies the boy was suicidal. The initial reports concluded it was an accidental death. Some reports have the janitor finding the boy on the floor.

“A janitor at Oakton Elementary School, Elliott Lieteau, said he found Aquan on the floor of the restroom and that others told him the boy had been pulled off a hook. Lieteau said he performed CPR.”

When was the last time you heard of a ten-year old having enough worries to consider taking his or her own life?

“Suicides among children as young as Aquan are extremely rare. There were on average just 10 U.S. suicides among 10-year-olds a year between 1999 and 2005, according to statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. By comparison, there were an average of about 75 suicides a year among 13-year-olds, and about 250 a year among 16-year-olds.”

Here is a video at WGN9News. Breaking News reports the boy threatened to kill himself after a teacher scolded him.

The CDC reports suicide rates in the U.S. from 1950 to 1993 for children under 15 years declined.

“Suicide accounted for the deaths of 599 children, including 431 (72%) in boys and 168 (28%) in girls. Of the suicides, 321 (54%) occurred among U.S. children. The suicide rate for children in the United States was two times higher than that in the other 25 countries combined (0.55 compared with 0.27) (Table_1). No suicides were reported among children aged less than 5 years.”

In 2004 the rates for suicide in children and young adults jumped 8%.

“In 2004, 4,599 children and adults aged 10 to 24 committed suicide, making it the third leading cause of death in that age group, the CDC said.

The suicide rate for 10 to 24-year-olds rose to 7.32 deaths per 100,000 in 2004 from 6.78 deaths per 100,000 in 2003. “

MSNBC, CDC: Suicide rate jumps for kids, young adults.

Suicide warning signs. Prevention Educational Video.

CDC PRESS RELEASE – September 6, 2007

CDC Report Shows Largest One-Year Increase in Youth Suicide Rate in 15 Years

Suicide rates for 10-19 year-old females and 15-19 year-old males increased significantly in 2004

Following a decline of more than 28 percent, the suicide rate for 10- to-24-year-olds increased by 8 percent, the largest single-year rise in 15 years, according to a report released today in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention′s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

The decline took place from 1990 to 2003 (from 9.48 to 6.78 per 100,000 people), and the increase took place from 2003 to 2004, (from 6.78 to 7.32), the report said

“This is the biggest annual increase that we′ve seen in 15 years. We don′t yet know if this is a short-lived increase or if it′s the beginning of a trend,” said Dr. Ileana Arias, director of CDC′s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. “Either way, it′s a harsh reminder that suicide and suicide attempts are affecting too many youth and young adults. We need to make sure suicide prevention efforts are continuous and reaching children and young adults.”

The report is an analysis of annual data from the CDC′s National Vital Statistics System (NVSS). NVSS data are comprised of birth, death, marriage, divorce, and fetal death records in the United States. Researchers looked at trends during the 15-year period by gender, age group and suicide method. It did not examine reasons for the changes in suicide rates.

An increase in the suicide rates for three gender-age groups’ accounts for the increase in the overall suicide rate, the report said. Rates rose for 10- to-14-year-old females, 15 -to-19-year-old females and 15- to-19-year-old males from 2003 to 2004.

For 10- to-14-year-old females, the rate increased from 0.54 per 100,000 in 2003 to 0.95 per 100,000 in 2004

For 15-to-19 year-old females the rate increased from 2.66 to 3.52 per 100,000

For 15-to-19 year-old males, the rate increased from 11.61 to 12.65 per 100,000

Prior to 2003, the rates for all three groups were generally decreasing.

The analysis also found that changes had taken place in the methods used to attempt suicide. In 1990, firearms were the most common method for both girls and boys. However, in 2004, hanging/suffocation was the most common method of suicide among girls, accounting for 71.4 percent of suicides among 10- to-14-year-old girls and 49 percent among 15-to-19 year-old girls. From 2003 to 2004, there was a 119 percent increase in hanging/suffocation suicides among 10-to -14-year-old girls. For boys and young men, firearms are still the most common method.

“It is important for parents, health care professionals, and educators to recognize the warning signs of suicide in youth,” said Dr. Keri Lubell, a behavioral scientist in CDC′s Injury Center and lead author of the study. “Parents and other caring adults should look for changes in youth such as talking about taking one′s life, feeling sad or hopeless about the future. Also look for changes in eating or sleeping habits and even losing the desire to take part in favorite activities.”

A previously published CDC survey of youth in grades 9 to 12 in public and private schools in the United States found that 17 percent reported “seriously considering” suicide, 13 percent reported creating a plan and 8 percent reported trying to take their own life in the 12 months preceding the survey.

“This study demands that we strengthen our efforts to help parents, schools and health care providers prevent things that increase the risk of suicide,” said Dr. Arias. “We need to build on the efforts dedicated to education, screening and treatment and bridge the gap between the knowledge we currently have and the action we must take.”

CDC′s suicide prevention efforts include expanded surveillance systems for suicide through the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). NVDRS is a comprehensive, linked reporting system that collects and centralizes information on suicides and homicides from a variety of sources, such as medical examiners and coroners, law enforcement, hospitals, public health officials and crime labs. As this system evolves, it provides a promising approach to capture data that will help to better understand the circumstances surrounding suicide. Information from NVDRS is helping officials, organizations, and communities develop, implement, and evaluate effective prevention policies and programs.

CDC is also working with states and tribal governments to implement the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/suicideprevention/strategy.asp The plan is designed to further the dialogue and action that has already begun in communities and to serve as a springboard for changing attitudes, policies, and services.

For more information please visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/Suicide/youthsuicide.htm

For more information about CDC work on suicide prevention, please visit the CDC Injury Center’s website at www.cdc.gov/injury.

A resource for helping to prevent suicide is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free number, 1-800-273-TALK (273-8255).