Citation

Asady MA, Cosgrove JF, MacMahon P. Ir. Med. J. 2002; 95(3): 83-84.

Affiliation

Paediatric Department, Waterford Regional, Hospital, Republic of Ireland. draasady@attcanada.ca

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, Winstone Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12049136

Abstract

Paediatricians may be called on to see a suicidal child or adolescent in the emergency department as a psychiatric consultation is not always immediately available. The paediatrician will then play a pivotal role in the evaluation and disposition of the patient.(1) American reports have shown that 8% of high school students have made a suicidal attempt and that 2% had made an attempt that required medical attention.(2) Suicidal attempts account for 12% of all emergency department visits for the adolescent age group.(3) In the U.K. overdoses account for 4.7% of all general hospital admission in those aged 12-20 years. (4) In Republic of Ireland the most recent national vital statistics data revealed that over a period of one year July'97 - July '98, more than 650 children and adolescents were admitted to hospital with the deliberate self poisoning. The female to male ratio was 3:1.(7).

Language: en