Research found an increase in the number of suspected pediatric suicide attempts by poisoning between 2015 and 2020.
University of Virginia researchers discovered a 26% increase among children ages 6 through 19 during the reported time period.
The findings are reportedly based on a review of cases reported to the National Poison Data System as “suspected suicides.”
The number of total suspected suicides by poisoning rose from 75,248 in 2015 to 93,532 in 2020.
Girls made up 77.9% of pediatric self-poisoning cases during the time period.
Children ages 10 to 12 saw the largest increase in the rate of suspected suicides rising 109.3% between 2015 and 2020.
The rate of children ages 6-19 attempting suicide by poisoning increased 26.7% from 2015-2020. Researchers say this highlights the country’s growing mental health crisis among kids. @BlueRidgePoison #MentalHealth #MedTwitterhttps://t.co/nDsFr3Sa8f
— UVA Health (@uvahealthnews) May 31, 2022
“The impetus for our research team to perform this study was that we began to notice an increase in younger aged children attempting suicide by acute overdoses in our clinical practice at UVA Health,” Christopher Holstege, medical director of the Blue Ridge Poison Center and chief of the Division of Medical Toxicology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, said.
He added, “We were disturbed at our institutional numbers and decided to perform research on the national numbers which confirmed that this increase was not just a local issue, but a national issue.”
According to researchers, the most common substances used were acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
The researchers explained, “This data demonstrates concerning rises in cases of self-poisoning among all pediatric groups between 6 and 19 years of age, suggesting that the pediatric mental health crisis is worsening and extending into younger populations.”
According to Holstege, “We need to be vigilant for the warning signs associated with suicide risk in our children.”
He continued, “Our study is one of a number that demonstrates that we are experiencing an unprecedented mental health crisis in younger age groups. As a society, we must commit more resources to the mental health needs of our children.”