Suicide Among Young Kids Is Rising | Lincoln News

A shocking surge in youth suicides among 8- to 12-year-olds is sending alarm bells through communities and mental health experts. In 2025, 194 children in this age group died by suicide — the highest since at least 2001 — with Black preteens facing the highest overall rates and Hispanic girls seeing the steepest increases. The pandemic’s disruption to early development, combined with rising screen time, bullying, and social media stress, has left many kids isolated and vulnerable. Pediatricians are now urged to screen for suicidal thoughts starting at age 12 — some say even earlier — to catch distress before it escalates. Parents and caregivers are being called to start these tough conversations early, because timely intervention could save lives. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/9bf14c299a6c1e72