The way a child kills himself is often dependent on what lethal means are available to him. As mentioned earlier, guns, hanging, and over dose or poisoning are the three top methods. It's pretty obvious that you should keep guns out of reach or locked up. But making your home a suicide-free zone is much harder when there are so many things a child can do to harm himself.

What Is the Method?

If your child is depressed and has suicidal ideation, get as much information from him as you can about his plan. If he plans to drink bleach or another poisonous substance, get them out of the house. The same is true with medications. If he mentions hanging himself, get rid of belts, ties, rope, and anything else that can be used. Likewise, if your child has a history of cutting himself, get rid of the potentially harmful items such as knives and razors.

Searching Your Child's Room

Should you check his room? Again, this goes back to the belief that your child deserves his privacy and trying to balance that with protecting him. If you have reason to believe your child has suicidal ideation or has attempted suicide in the past, routinely doing a room check is not a bad idea. Remind your child that you are not looking at his personal things, but that in light of his behavior and/or statements, you will need to check his room for your own peace of mind. A child who has attempted suicide in the past will usually understand this and know that it is a consequence of his past actions. A defensive child may have something to hide.

Keep Him Safe

Last, if you are concerned that your child cannot control his suicidal thoughts, do not leave him alone. He may try to bully you out of it or try to convince you that he is fine. Don't buy into it. Take him with you, or leave him with another responsible adult (not a friend of his) until you feel that he is not a danger to himself.