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Deliberate self-harm (DSH) out of hour's presentations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Fiona McNicholas ,
Michael O'Sullivan ,
Ruth Lennon ,
Mairin Doherty  and
Neil Adamson
Fiona McNicholas*
Affiliation:
Department of Child Psychiatry, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin 12, Lucena Clinic, Rathgar and University College, Dublin, Ireland
Michael O'Sullivan
Affiliation:
Department of Child Psychiatry, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin 12, Lucena Clinic, Rathgar and University College, Dublin, Ireland
Ruth Lennon
Affiliation:
Research Psychologist, Lucena Clinic, Rathgar and University College, Dublin, Ireland
Mairin Doherty
Affiliation:
Department of Child Psychiatry, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin 12, Ireland
Neil Adamson
Affiliation:
Department of Child Psychiatry, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin 12, Ireland
*
*Correspondence E-mail: Fiona.mcnicholas@olhsc.ie
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Abstract

Objective: To establish time of presentation to paediatric accident and emergency (A&E) services of children with deliberate self-harm (DSH).

Method: All children presenting to an acute paediatric hospital with DSH or suicidal ideation between 1993-2003 were identified and time of presentation collected from their case notes.

Results: Of the 172 children where the actual time of presentation was recorded, the majority of children – 137 (80%) presented to the hospital outside of the ‘normal working hours’ of 9am-5pm, Monday – Friday. These children represent an at-risk group, and were more likely to have consumed alcohol, to have made a suicide attempt, and to have a family history of psychiatric illness than children presenting with “normal working hours”.

Conclusion: DSH in young people is a significant public health problem in Ireland and is a major risk factor for completed suicide. Access to an out of hours on-call Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) services is essential if these children are to have a mental health assessment, as recommended by the Royal College of Psychiatry and National Institute of Clinical Excellence. These services need to be urgently developed.

Keywords

Deliberate self-harm (DSH)Suicidal ideationChildren on-call services
Type
Original Papers
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 27 , Issue 1 , March 2010 , pp. 11 - 14
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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