Examples of potentially dangerous or emergency situations with a child or adolescent include:

• threats or warnings about hurting or killing someone
• threats or warnings about hurting or killing oneself
• threats to run away from home
• threats to damage or destroy property

Child and adolescent psychiatrists and other mental health professionals agree that it is very difficult to predict a child's future behavior with complete accuracy. A person's past behavior, however, is still one of the best predictors of future behavior. For example, a child with a history of violent or assaultive behavior is more likely to carry out his/her threats and be violent.

The presence of one or more of the following increases the risk of violent or dangerous behavior:

When a child makes a serious threat it should not be dismissed as just idle talk.  Parents, teachers, or other adults should immediately talk with the child.  If it is determined that the child is at risk and the child refuses to talk, is argumentative, responds defensively, or continues to express violent or dangerous thoughts or plans, arrangements should be made for an immediate evaluation by a mental health professional with experience evaluating children and adolescents.

Evaluation of any serious threat must be done in the context of the individual child's past behavior, personality, and current stressors. In an emergency situation or if the child or family refuses help, it may be necessary to contact local police for assistance or take the child to the nearest emergency room for evaluation.

Note: Sometimes the community resources we usually trust the most such as public schools, police and human services face barriers that allow children to fall through the cracks. Whatever you do, do NOT give up until you make someone listen.If you know your child needs help and it seems that all community resources have been exhausted go to any hospital emergency room - even if it needs to be in a different county/city/state.

Children who have made serious threats must be carefully supervised while awaiting professional intervention.  Immediate evaluation and appropriate ongoing treatment of youngsters who make serious threats can help the troubled child and reduce the risk of tragedy.

• Suicide is one of the 3 leading causes of death for 13- to 19-year-olds in the United States.
• An average of 4 American teenagers commit suicide every day.

• In states where there are more guns, more people commit suicide.
• Studies have shown that the risk of suicide is 4 to 10 times higher in homes with guns than in those without.
• If the gun is a handgun or is stored loaded or unlocked, the risk of suicide is even higher.

• Suicide attempts with a gun are very likely to be deadly.
• Suicide attempts with drugs or methods other than guns have a greater chance of survival.

Teens often see any change as a major life event. Adults and teens need to talk about things, like budding sexuality and taking responsibility for one's own actions, as they occur.

It is best to not have any guns in homes where children or teenagers live. If there is a gun:

• Keep it unloaded and locked up or with a trigger lock. Store the bullets in a different place that is also locked.
• Do not let teens have a key to the places where guns and bullets are stored.
• If a teen becomes depressed or has severe mood swings, store the gun outside the home for the time being.

Many communities have laws that prevent teenagers from getting their own weapons. Find out what the laws are in your community and ask that they be enforced. Most young survivors of a serious suicide attempt do not commit suicide later, and most survivors of suicide attempts are glad they were saved.