Every suicide attempt is a medical emergency. Once the immediate threat to life has been removed, a decision must be made on the need for hospitalization. This need depends on the balance between the degree of risk and the family's capacity to provide support. A negative or unsupportive parental response is ominous. If the family shows love and concern, a positive outcome is more likely.
Psychiatric referral is most successful if continuity with the primary caretaker is assured.
Essential to follow-up care is the rebuilding of morale and the restoration of emotional equilibrium within the family. All rights reserved.