Reply to When the school tells you your kid is at risk for suicide

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[quote=Anonymous]A lot of good advice above. My summary of the high points would include:

1. Make sure guns are locked separate from ammo (I know you said there are none, but for completeness sake)

2. Make sure all meds are locked also, including over-the-counter. Girls are more likely to do pills, especially Tylenol, because they think it is safer -- but it's actually killer to the liver in high doses, and overdoses are the major cause for teenage liver transplants.

3. Take it seriously. Everyone -- teenager, parents, school, physicians -- needs to be on board that if this language is used, it will be taken seriously. There is no other way to do this safely. (If the time and context is right, someone can talk to the child about using different language like "I am so sad" or "I am so overwhelmed" if that is a better description of their feelings, but if it is talk about death/dying/suicide, it gets a full press of serious intervention as an emeergency)

4. Maintain the pattern. It is SUPER hard for kids to return to school, and it gets harder every additional day they are out. Maintain every level of normalcy you can:

1. Full day of school, or if absolutely not possible, then
2. Half day of school, or if absolutely not possible, then
3. Time is spent in principal's office or study hall working on things, or at least
4. She goes in herself each day to pick up assignments (crossing the door of the school is a barrier for kids who have been out awhile, especially with anxiety/depresison, so do't lose that step), or at least
5. This sounds crazy, but at least keep normal bedtime and wake time, getting dressed, and driving to school on time.

I'm a pediatrician. I so often see kids who hadve been out for weeks, are afraid to go back,a nd have a whacked-out sleep cycle where they are up all night and sleep all day. Every one of those steps is one you have to fight to regain and is a potential point for anxiety attacks, too.

Good luck.[/quote]

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