Significant increase in child suicide Is the change in life caused by corona affected?

Significant increase in child suicide Is it affected by changes in life caused by corona? November 25, 4:10

As the number of people committing suicide is increasing rapidly, children's suicides are becoming more serious, and the number is increasing at a much faster pace than last year and adults.

Experts point out that "it seems that the changes in life caused by the spread of the new coronavirus infection are having an effect. It is necessary to listen carefully to the feelings of the child."

According to statistics released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the number of suicides among elementary and junior high school students and high school students was 246 from April to last month, 58 more than the same period last year and 42 more than the same period as adults. It has become.

Under these circumstances, medical institutions in various regions are increasing the number of consultations and consultations for children, and in some areas they are focusing on interviews at schools.

However, some teachers who actually interviewed said that it was difficult to capture the hearts of children, and the issue is how to find children at risk of suicide.

Hajime Arai, a former high school teacher and professor at Kansai Gaidai University who specializes in counseling psychology, said, "The new corona may have increased social unrest and changed our lives. If you find one, you need to tell them that you are worried and ask them how they feel. "

Suicide prevention outpatient clinic Increased number of examinees after summer

It is said that the number of people visiting the "suicide prevention outpatient clinic" at the "Fukuoka University Hakata Station Clinic" in Fukuoka City has been increasing since the summer.

According to Nobuaki Eto, a psychiatrist who is undergoing medical examinations, the number has nearly doubled compared to the average year, and the situation is particularly serious for young people in their teens to 20s.

The medical records are lined with young people's voices such as "I don't know how to live in the future" and "I think it will be easier if I die", and Dr. Eto thinks that the new coronavirus has an effect on the background.

Of these, a junior high school student was originally abused by his father, but when the school was closed due to the new Corona and there was no escape, he began to think about suicide and visited the doctor with his mother.

Mr. Eto said, "The number of medical examinations for people who attempt suicide or self-harm, which is thought to be the effect of corona, is increasing rapidly. Especially, the situation of children entering adolescence and entering an age where it is difficult to consult with parents and teachers is serious. There is an urgent need to build a support and consultation system. "

Emergency interview at school in Fukuoka

The Fukuoka City Board of Education has urgently interviewed 217 municipal elementary and junior high schools and high schools this month, saying that children's minds may be unstable as the living environment changes due to the new coronavirus. I started.

From various topics such as friendships, learning situations, and family environment, we will search for any changes in children's minds, and if there are children who are interested, we will watch over with experts such as school counselors.

However, there are children who seem to be patient and children who think that they cannot tell people, and in the field, how to capture the voices of children is an issue.

One of the teachers who is actually interviewing said, "It's difficult to capture the hearts of children with just a short interview. You can understand that they are worried because of the interview. I'm afraid. "

Expert "Listen to children's feelings"

Professor Hajime Arai of Kansai Gaidai University, a former high school teacher who specializes in counseling psychology, said that the increase in child suicides may be affected by changes in family life due to the simultaneous closure of schools due to the new corona. In addition, the pace of classes has changed even after the school is closed, so many children may feel "difficult" or "uneasy."

He pointed out, "Don't be afraid more than necessary, but you need to keep in mind that no child has a zero risk of suicide."

And, assuming that there are "TALK" principles of "tell", "ask", "listen", and "keep safe" as points to prevent suicide. "It is important to say that the child is not alone, saying,'I'm worried about you.' At that time, instead of giving any advice or preaching, how does the child feel? It is necessary to listen carefully to see if there is any, and then connect with an expert. "

Find suicide risk on your tablet

Efforts have also begun to find out the risk of suicide in children using tablet devices with special software.

The software used is called "RAMPS", which was developed by Tsukasa Sasaki, a professor at the Graduate School of Education of the University of Tokyo and a psychiatrist, and has been completed in Niigata. It has been introduced at 36 schools including high schools in Tokyo and Ibaraki.

The place to use is the infirmary of the school, and the visiting child is handed a tablet terminal containing this software and asked to answer the 11 questions shown first.

Relatively easy-to-answer questions such as "Do you have an appetite?" Gradually asked "Have you ever thought that you can't help living?" Or "Have you hurt yourself?" It turns into a question.

After that, the school nurse who returned the tablet terminal will ask the child the question displayed on the terminal.

The content changes according to the results of the 11 questions that were answered first. For example, a child who answered, "I have thought that it can't be helped even if I'm alive," said, "Dead. Have you ever wanted to get rid of it, or have you ever wanted to wake up asleep again? ”Or“ Have you ever prepared to die or committed suicide? ”

And finally, the "suicide risk" is shown on the terminal in three stages.

Questions are the contents that psychiatrists use during actual medical examinations, and Professor Sasaki can create an atmosphere where even difficult questions can be easily spoken by using this software, and there are variations in the knowledge and experience of teachers. But he says he can guarantee the quality of the exchange.

The results are shared with homeroom teachers, parents, and medical institutions as needed, and at schools that are already in use, the risks of children who were thought to be "no problem at all" became clear. There were cases in which a child who was thought to be "somehow worried" was actually serious enough to make a suicide plan.

Professor Sasaki said, "There are not many children who say,'I have attempted suicide.' It is best to listen to the story while showing that you are worried, catch the information, and respond at an early stage. It's important. "