Clinical Pharmacology & Biopharmaceutics
Open Access

Abstract

Background: Suicidal behaviors are among the leading causes of death worldwide. AIM: to assess the cases of suicide among children, potential risks, and outcome Method: Using a retrospective chart review of children who diagnosis with intentional poisoning between 2009 and 2011, Results: We identified 10 cases of suicide among children (mean age 12 years, SD 1.98, range 8 to 14 years) 0.66% of poisoning cases in pediatric. The female: male ratio was 1:1. The majority of cases were middle social/economic class (n = 9; 90%). Chemical constituted the most commonly encountered group of toxins 60 %( mainly Clorox 50%) and drugs 40% (mainly acetaminophen 20%). Home Chicken was the commonest place of poisoned (50%); summer was the most common season of poisoning (40%) and Thursday most common day. Mothers of (90%) the children poisoned worked in the home. Symptomatic cases on admission were 80%, GI complication representing 60% and neurology 30% of the complication. Most of the poisoned cases undergo complete recovery and discharged from ER (60%) and 40% were hospitalized, the mean hospital stay was 2 days, and ranged from 0 to 9 days. There was a statistically significant difference between the lengths of stay of patients in terms of hospital cost (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The results point to the need to increase our understanding of the suicidal behaviors during childhood/adolescence and of the causal pathways linking these behaviors to child-adolescent mental disorders. During routine care visits, pediatricians should be skilled to recognize risk factors for adolescent suicide in order to intervene appropriately.

Biography

Menyfah Al Anazi is a pharmacist currently working at the Drug policy and Economic Center of Ministry of National Guard – Health Affairs. She has completed Clinical Pharmacy Practice since 2007, and certificated in Clinical Research Coordinator since 2009.

Email: anizim1@ngha.med.sa