Suicide attempts among kids rising; distress is reason: Report

London, Dec 16 (UNI) Elevating level of distress and mental suffering in the young is leading to rise in suicide attempts, according to a report.

Last year, more than 4,000 children, under the age of 14, in Britain had attempted to take their own lives,the National Health Service (NHS) figures revealed this startling fact in a report by the Information Centre for Health and Social Care, to be formally released this week.

Most of the children consumed overdoses of medicines, some jumped in front of a moving vehicle and one tried to take own life by deliberately crashing a car, the report said.

Expressing concern over the situation, the charity Rethink's Isla Dowd said, ''To have this number of children attempting to commit suicide in a country, where we are claimed to have a culture where every child matters, is profoundly shocking.'' ''Children often attempt suicide when they feel that such drastic action is the only solution to their problems. There is still not adequate and appropriate access for children experiencing emotional and mental distress,'' the Guardian quoted Isla Dowd, as saying.

According to the figures, behavioural, emotional or mental health problems are more common in boys than girls. To overcome it, the government is calling on professionals, working with children, to keep a close eye on boys, and help, when they are found distressed.

UNI