Study Finds Large Increase in Substance Exposures With Self-harm or Suicidal Intent Among Pre-teen Children

The rate of substance exposures involving suspected self-harm or suicidal intent among pre-teen children showed an overall increase over a 23-year period, according to a study examining calls made to poison centers. Among 11-year-old children, there was an overall increase of approximately 398%. The rate for 12-year-old children was higher than that of 11-year-olds and increased by 343%. The study, “Poison Center Calls About Self-Harm or Suicidal Intent and Other Exposure Reasons in 6- 12-Year-Old Children,” published in the October 2025 Pediatrics (published online Sept. 8) examined exposure to a variety of substances from 2000 through 2023 with data collected in the National Poison Data System. Studies examining pediatric substance exposures typically focus on children under age 6 for unintentional exposures or adolescents for use in self-harm or recreational drug use. This study aimed to explore the exposures associated with children 6-12 years old who fall between those age groups. The top five substances reported for all reasons for exposure combined were pain relief medication, antihistamines, cough and cold preparations, stimulants and street drugs, and vitamins – equating to over half of the incidents documented. Overall, data showed a 54% increase in the number of calls, representing over 1.5 million incidents. The authors state the need for additional targeted research and interventions to prevent substance exposures among the 6-12 –year-old age group with special attention paid to exposures associated with suspected self-harm or suicidal intent among children 11 and 12 years old.

##

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.