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AAP News Vol. 1 No. 8 August 1985, p. 5 © 1985 American Academy of Pediatrics
Pediatricians can play an important role in preventing adolescent suicide by identifying young people who may be at high risk and recognizing abnormal behavior that may signal a potential suicide attempt. Some experts on adolescent suicide shared their views with AAP News on the pediatrician's role in suicide prevention. Pediatricians should pay closer attention to anticipatory guidance, said William C. Van Ost, M.D., FAAP. "If you don't ask the question," he said. "you don't get an answer." Leon Eisenberg, M.D., FAAP, said that the first step in the prevention of suicide is to take a preoccupation with suicide or a mention of suicide seriously. "It's not something to be dismissed."
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