Suicide Prevention: Tips for Parents

In childhood depression and anxiety, the child suffers alone without necessarily exhibiting any outward signs or telling his parents. This is in contrast to extroverted disorders such as hyperactivity or behavior difficulties that are noticeable and impact upon society and therefore easily and quickly identified and treated.

Prof. Alan Apter, world-renowned expert on depression and suicide in children and adolescents, and head of the Child Research Institute at Schneider Children’s, notes that “complications that can result from untreated depression at a young age include deterioration of studies and school dropout, alcohol and drug use, eating and behavioral disorders, anxiety, social isolation and even the danger of suicide. About 80% of cases where help is sought show improvement in a number of weeks, but left untreated, the signs of depression can be prolonged and worsen leading to suicide attempts. Effective therapy can prevent the recurrence of depression.”

Both psychiatrists and psychologists staff the Mood Clinic at Schneider Children’s, where Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) integrates psychological, social and medicinal approaches. This method does not focus on the reasons for depression or seek to understand the child’s deep emotional state. Rather it deals with the symptoms of depression and provides the child with tools to cope with depression and its related issues. Children suffering from depression are treated individually at Schneider Children’s to cope with mood swings. Therapy allows longer time lapses between attacks and identifying early signs in order to prevent the next attack. On the behavioral level, the child is encouraged to gradually return to activities he enjoyed before the crisis and return to normalcy both in school and socially. He is similarly encouraged to participate in sport on a regular basis as this leads to the secretion of opioids in the brain which improve mood.

Work with the child sometimes includes teaching different skills such as social skills and time management which allow the child to better cope in the future with situations that cause him distress. During therapy, the child receives tasks to carry out at home: keeping a follow-up diary of events that affected his mood including identifying thoughts and feelings that arose; an attempt to consider better positive alternative thoughts; and practicing skills learnt in therapy.

Concomitantly and as an integral part of treatment, parents are key partners in their child’s therapy. They are provided with tools to cope for the entire family and receive guidance about involving a wider circle such as school to help create a supportive environment adapted to the individual needs of each child.