title: Suicidal behavior in minors-diagnostic differences between children and adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To date, the study of suicidal behavior among minors has focused on the age group in which it is more prevalent: adolescents. We hypothesized that suicidal behavior in children stems from a different diagnosis than suicidal behavior in adolescents, and thus merits its own investigation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied all minors (266) who were referred to a psychiatric emergency department due to a suicide attempt or suicidal ideation during a 3-year period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was an age-related difference in diagnostic distribution among minors who were referred to the emergency department because of suicidal behavior (χ(2) (7) = 24.297, P < 0.01). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was more prevalent among children (under 12 years old), whereas mood disorders were more prevalent among adolescents (12-18 years old).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study highlight a diagnostic difference between suicidal children and suicidal adolescents.
authors.affiliation: The Emotion-Cognition Research Center, Shalvata Mental Health Care Center, Hod-Hasharon, Israel.
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben-Yehuda
authors.forename: Shai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aviram
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Govezensky
authors.forename: Uri
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Nitzan
authors.forename: Yechiel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Levkovitz
authors.forename: Yuval
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bloch
mesh_terms: D000275:Adjustment Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D033242:Minors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*