LANSING, Mich. (WSYM) -- New research from the Pediatric Societies and Vanderbilt University reports the number of children and teenagers admitted to the hospital for self harm or suicide has doubled during the past decade.
Dr. Drew Schafer said suicide is more talked about more than ever now because parents are more aware of the signs.
"Their teen who has been who has been saying or having thoughts of suicide or death or talking about dying- that can be alarming for the parent," he said.
Dr. Schafer works with ages 5 through 1. He said this is more of a trend among high school students and peak at certain times of the year.
"In Fall and Spring... we're in and out of school...in and out of activities...in and out of different routines and maybe in and out of relationships and even in out of different expectations being placed on you," he continued.
Schafer said the best way to monitor these thoughts when they happen is through hospitals, that's why so many are admitted.
"Safety of course is number one key concern. The hospital context really provides that place of safety of the teens being watched, and they are not able to have the temptations of the things lying around they would have at home or the community," he added.
