The outcome of childhood suicidal behaviour

A group of children under 16 years of age who were admitted to hospital after episodes of deliberate self-poisoning, were followed up after one year. Ninety of the original sample of 100 were traced, and interviewed. Almost half of the subjects were improved after one year but the remaining children continued disturbed. Improvement was most marked in relation to "school problems" and "running away from home". There was significant improvement for some children in their family relationships. Ten per cent of children had been involved in further self-poisoning during the follow-up period. Extended follow-up some seven years later traced 41 of the original subjects. The repetition rate for self-poisoning was 20% although the majority of these episode occurred within a year of the original self-poisoning. Overall, the situation of subjects was judged as improved by them and their families although significant psycho-social difficulties remained for some.