A Case Report: Attempted Suicide and Suicidal Behavior in an 8 Years Old Child

In most of the countries suicide is one of the ten leading causes of death and for young people it is the second most commoncause. But in children suicide is rare and associated with severe personal and social problems. A useful definition of suicidalbehavior in children developed by Pfeiffer is “Any self-destructive behavior that has intent to seriously damage oneself orcause death (1986)”. The thought of a child dying by suicide challenges the ideals we hold about how our children growand develop at their own home and society. It also raises considerations about children’s understandings of death and theircapacity to have the intent to suicide. The relationship between psychiatric disorders and adolescent suicide is now wellestablished. Mood disorders, substance abuse, conduct disorder and prior suicide attempts are strongly related with youthand child suicides. Factors related to family adversity, style of parenting and child rearing, recent socio-cultural transitionand other precipitating problems also contribute to the risk of suicide. The main target of effective prevention of child andyouth suicide is to reduce suicide risk factors. Recognition and effective treatment of psychiatric disorders, e.g. depression,conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorders are essential in preventing child and adolescent suicides. In the treatmentof youth depression, psychosocial treatments have proved to be useful and efficacious. Here we have described about thecase of a 08 year old boy, presenting with restlessness, impulsiveness, multiple threats and one episode of attempted suicidefollowing refusal to watch TV by parents.