Understanding Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in Pediatric Care

Imagine you have a new 13-year-old patient in your practice. When you perform a return-to-school physical examination, you notice healed linear cutting marks on both of their wrists. The remainder of your exam is normal. In light of this finding, what are your next steps? What questions should you be asking the family and the patient, and what should you be concerned about today? 

Listen to our pediatric experts discuss nonsuicidal self-injury

In this episode, our experts discuss:

• The most common types of risk-taking behavior and harm/injuries 
• Understanding the triggers and motivations for self-harm 
• Association of mood disorders with self-harm behavior 
• Relationship between self-harm and risk of suicide 
• Strategies for approaching patients about self-harm behaviors 
• Importance of empathy and validating patients’ emotions
• Harm reduction strategies and benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy

Pediatric mental health at Children’s Colorado

At Children's Hospital Colorado, we're committed to helping all healthcare professionals improve the quality of life for children with mental and behavioral health conditions. Get the latest in pediatric mental health information to better your practice, improve the lives of your patients and learn about developments within our mental health programs.