Orlando, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — September is National Suicide Prevention Month and the statistics are staggering. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for children ages 10 to 14, and the third for older teens.
Depression, bullying, sextortion — you think — never my child. But what about suicide? Nearly one in five students in the U.S. say they’ve considered suicide in the past year
And experts warn suicide among kids ages eight to 12 is rising by eight percent annually. Parents can be the key to saving their children and the conversation starts small.
“Talk to them about what’s going on in their life. Listen to them,” said Flora Torra, Licensed School Psychologist.
Sometimes, signs hide in plain sight. Dramatic mood swings, isolation, and sudden disconnect from friends.
“Notice if they’re isolating, if they’re not wanting to be around their friends,” explained Torra.
Watch for changes in sleep or eating. Neglecting appearance. Drug or alcohol use. Lack of focus and lesser-known red flags like a sudden calmness after distress.
“Notice if they start giving away things, some of their material things. We have to keep tabs on our teenagers a lot,” said Torra.
Even small actions can prevent tragedy — like securing medications or firearms.
“Over 50 percent of suicides in 2023 were by firearms,” explained Torra.
And the CDC found kids who get enough sleep or play sports are less likely to consider suicide. And strong family, school, or LGBTQ+ support can cut risk in half.
A new JAMA study found youth addicted to social media or video games face twice the suicide risk. And research out of Denmark shows platforms like Instagram connect teens into self-harm networks with little content moderation. Even tweens as young as nine are showing higher depression rates linked to daily screen time and cyberbullying. If your child is struggling. Help is just three numbers away. Call or text 988. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and always open.
Contributors to this news report include: Lindsay Dailey, Producer; Bob Walko, Editor.
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Sources:
https://www.nami.org/kids-teens-and-young-adults/what-you-need-to-know-about-youth-suicide/
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/teen-suicide
