Teen Suicide Risk: What Parents Should Know [healthychildren.org]

If you're worried about your child's risk for suicide, you are not alone.

In 2021, emergency departments across the U.S. noted a sharp rise in 12-to-17-year-olds needing treatment for suicidal thoughts or actions. And in a recent federal survey, more than 4 in 10 high school students reported feeling "persistently sad or hopeless," while 1 in 5 said they'd thought about suicide.

Grief, isolation and fear caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are possible causes. But experts say the pressures that can lead young people to consider suicide have been rising for years.

Caring and informed family support can help kids cope when life feels overwhelming. You will feel better prepared to help your child when you know more about these suicide risk factors.

[Please click here to continue reading this website from Healthy Children, which is sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics.]