title: Suicidal self-poisoning in childhood.
abstract: The authors present an epidemiological study of the suicide attempt in childhood committed by self-poisoning in Bulgaria. Materials and data of the Children Toxicology Department at the National Toxicology Center, EMI "Pirogov", Sofia, Bulgaria for the period 2003-2004 are used. These data are compared with data for 1973-1994 for the region of Sofia, as well as for the 1985-1994 for the region of Vidin, Bulgaria. The suicide attempts are described according to type of poisoning, type of toxic substance consecutiveness of the attempt, age group, sex, social and family status of the children, distribution by seasons, days of the week and hours of the day, grades of severity of the intoxication. The incidence of schizophrenic type of disorders and affective disorders in children with suicide attempts is comparatively low-about 2%. The main motives of the self-poisonings in childhood are problematic relationship in the family, conflict of the generations, emotional disappointments, and fear of punishment.
authors.affiliation: Children Department, National Toxicology Center, EMI Pirogov, Sofia, Bulgaria. poison_centre@mail.orbitel.bg
authors.forename: Andriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boyanova
authors.forename: Anelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loukova
authors.forename: Evgenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stankova
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hubenova
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002031:Bulgaria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors