[Depression and the conduct disorder are the most frequent pathologies in child and adolescent suicide attempt].
Until recently, suicidal behaviour in children and adolescents was associated to less serious psychopathological disorders, such as adjustment disorder. In the last decades, according to international sources, psychopathological disorders associated to suicide attempts have become more serious.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the frequency of mental and conduct disorders in children and adolescents that attempted suicide, in order to identify self-aggression methods and previous psychopathological antecedents.


METHODS
Cross sectional study based on clinical interviews to 41 children and adolescents hospitalized in Hospital de Niños de Córdoba for suicide attempt.


RESULTS
Ingestion of psychotropics is the most frequent self-aggression method (p< 0.0001). Psychopathological history, such as previous suicide attempt and conduct disorder, were predominant (p< 0.0001) in children and adolescents hospitalized for suicide attempt. Pathologies most frequently associated to suicide attempt were depression (29.27%) and conduct disorder (24.39%).


CONCLUSIONS
Children and adolescents with suicide attempt had previous psychopathological antecedents and important mental disorders such as depression and conduct disorder, which require adequate treatment and sanitary control, in order to avoid more severe consequences. The most used method to attempt suicide was ingestion of psychotropics.
Bella
Mónica E
ME
Servicio de Psiquiatría Pediátrica, Hospital de Niños de la Santísima Trinidad de Córdoba. bellamonica@ hotmail.com
Fernández
Ruth A
RA
Willington
José M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*