Spend time with your kids

Teen suicide rates have been on the decline for the past 15 years since the 1990s, but a recent study says the trend may have changed course.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, basically computes a hypothetical “what-if” situation if the trend line had continued. In the first step, the research team examined the suicide trends for teenagers aged 10 to 19, specifically for the period 1996-2003 when the rates followed a downward slope. Using the established trend line, the researchers then made a forecast of the suicide rate for 2005 if the trend continued.

The forecast suicide rate was 3.8 deaths per 100,000 teens in 2005. But the actual suicide rate reached 4.49 deaths per 100,000. The difference between the two was statistically significant.

The research team leader thinks this apparent change in trend should raise alarm bells, particularly because suicide rates for this age group (age 10-19) had continuously declined until 2004. In 2004, there was a sudden 18 percent increase in suicide rate, which represented the largest single-year spike in the previous 15-year period.

There were a number of possible explanations cited by the team. These factors include the impact of social networking sites on the Internet and higher incidence of depression (both undiagnosed and untreated).

Antidepressant use for treating teens has attracted much controversy, which has made parents and physicians hesitant to use the drugs on their children.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October 2003 issued a warning that there was a higher risk of suicide attempts or suicide-related behavior among young people taking SSRI antidepressants, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

The FDA took stronger action a year later, directing antidepressant makers to put a “black box” warning on their labels. The “black box” alerts medical professionals about the increased risk of suicide and related behavior on teens.

The strong warning dampened the use of SSRIs among children. Recent reports show that prescriptions of antidepressants to children have gone down.

However, some experts are worried about this trend because there may be young patients who could benefit from treatment with SSRI but are not getting them. In some cases, the short-term benefits of SSRI treatment may outweigh the risks.

The National Research Center for Women & Families thinks there are other causes for increased suicides. Older teens may be driven to it because of failure to find jobs in the current economic downturn. But they also believe that untreated depression is an important factor in this trend reversal. Overall, children are getting more isolated than ever before, even from their own families.

Safety Tip:

* Spend time with your kids to help them fight depression. Families that don’t eat together have kids getting into drugs, alcohol, and suicide.