MADISON, Wis. — Suicide-related hospital visits among children have increased dramatically over the past decade, and even more so within the past three years, UW Health experts said Thursday.
It’s part of a nationwide trend according to a recently published study in the Journal of Pediatrics. According to the CDC’s most current public data, suicide is the second leading cause of death in children ages 10 to 14.
“Children are showing up every day in perilous circumstances,” Dr. Allie Hurst, medical director of pediatric emergency medicine at UW Health, said.
In 2012, UW Health’s pediatric emergency department saw roughly 15 patients a month who needed psychiatric care; by 2022, that number had nearly tripled to more than 40 per month. Of those cases, cases due to suicidal ideation and drug or alcohol intoxication or overdose saw the greatest increases.
Shanda Wells, behavioral health manager for primary care at UW Health, said she and her colleagues have seen a “dramatic” increase over the past two years in the number of kids visiting the emergency room who’ve attempted suicide or are struggling with suicidal ideation.
“Really, the need has been unprecedented,” Wells said.
And while health care experts can’t pinpoint a single cause as the reason for the increase in suicidal ideation or need for psychiatric help, Wells said a number of risk factors — including loneliness hopelessness and social isolation — make teens more likely to consider taking their own life. Many of those factors became more common during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A teen’s main task in life, their developmental job, is to learn how to navigate relationships, and that was pretty significantly disrupted. So I think there’s some reasonable thoughts that maybe COVID played a role,” Well said. “We also know that for sure, certain populations like people of color or members of the LGBTQ+ community are definitely at a higher risk for suicide attempts as well.”
Regardless of the cause behind a child’s suicidal thoughts, Wells said it’s important to make sure they feel heard and supported. Taking children seriously and asking legitimate questions to start a dialogue goes a long way, she added.
“If a kid is expressing that they are thinking about harming themselves, we should approach that with curiosity, ask questions and not make judgments, and really try to figure out what’s going on in that kid’s mind,” Wells said. “If they are thinking seriously about hurting themselves and they have a plan, any kind of plan, we need to take that very seriously and get them help.”
There are resources available to help, too.
If it’s a serious and immediate threat, a visit to the emergency room should be the first step. Reaching out to a therapist, calling the national 988 hotline or speaking with a primary care physician can also provide the support kids need.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues or considering suicide, there are resources available to help. Calling 988 nationwide will connect you to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In Dane County, Journey Mental Health Center has a 24/7 suicide prevention hotline at 608-280-2600.
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