OARacle Newsletter

Alarming statistics from a study done by researchers at Kennedy Krieger Institute indicate that suicidal thoughts and behaviors may begin in autistic children at a very early age. Responses from over 900 caregivers of autistic children ages 8 to 17 were analyzed in a nationally distributed survey. According to the study published in JAMA Pediatrics in early April, among parents of children 8 years old and younger: 

• 36.2% reported their child wanting to die. 
• 35.3% reported their child wanting to end their own life. 
• 18.1% reported their child having a suicide plan.

“The results are concerning,” noted Dr. Benjamin Schindel, a fellow in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities at Kennedy Krieger Institute and lead author of the paper. “We were very surprised to find that the expression of suicidal ideation began so young in these children with ASD. This rate seems to be significantly higher compared to their neurotypical peers.”

The original point of collecting the data was to develop a better awareness of suicidal thinking among autistic children, he said. However, when the number of particularly young children having such thoughts was revealed, the urgency behind this research shifted.

One of the major concerns, the research team said, is that limited suicide screening tools and interventions are available for young children with developmental disabilities. Dr. Schindel noted that Kennedy Krieger has begun screening their patients starting at age 8.

The survey was completed by participants in Kennedy Krieger’s Interactive Autism Network. Among all parents surveyed: 

• 40.5% reported their child wanting to die. 
• 19.3% reported their child wanting to end their own life. 
• 7.4% reported their child having a suicide plan.

Dr. Schindel urged parents to “check in on their children’s mental health and alert their health care providers if there are concerns so that they can be connected to preventive mental health services, like counseling and, in some cases, medication.”

Dr. Paul Lipkin, a neurodevelopmental pediatrician and professor of pediatrics in the Center for Development and Learning at Kennedy Krieger Institute and a member of the research team said the results illuminate the need for further research to find out if suicidal thoughts among autistic children translate to actions. “We need to have an open dialogue about these statistics to help fight the stigma and make sure these children are getting the help and support that they need.”

Sherri Alms is the freelance editor of The OARacle, a role she took on in 2007. She has been a freelance writer and editor for more than 20 years.