A new report published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns there’s been a significant increase in the number of emergency room visits for suicidal thoughts or self-harm by children ages 10 to 19.

According to the report published January 31, 2020 in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, there were more than two million emergency room visits between January 2017 and December 2018 involving suicidal thoughts, self-harm or both, out of a total 163 million emergency room visits. The numbers rose in an increase of 25.5 percent from 2017 to 2018.

But the highest increase in the number of emergency room visits for suicidal thoughts or self-harm was among children: specifically girls ages 10 to 19 who showed an increase of nearly 34 percent, and boys ages 10 to 19 who showed an increase of 62 percent.

There was also a significant seasonal pattern to the visits of the children, said Marissa Zwald, PhD, lead researcher, employed at the CDC: there were far fewer visits to the emergency room in the summer months.

The highest increase in the number of emergency room visits for suicidal thoughts or self harm was among children.