autistic kids and teens can become despondent or suicidal. When this happens, we need to take it

as seriously as with anyone else. In today's podcast, Mara and I will explore the distinction

between self-injurious behavior and suicidality in autistic children, communication patterns

related to suicide, the screening process for identifying suicidality, and the different

levels of care required to effectively address this issue. Dr. Paul Lipkin joins us today to

provide insights on modifying assessment approaches to facilitate effective communication with

autistic individuals in order to address this problem.

Welcome to the Carlisat Psychiatry Podcast. This is another special episode from the Child

Psychiatry Team. I'm Dr. Josh Spader, the editor-in-chief of the Carlatte Child Psychiatry Report and

co-author

of The Child Medication Fact Book for Psychiatric Practice, Second Edition, 2023, and

prescribing psychotropics.

And I'm Mara Government, a licensed clinical social worker in Southern California with a private

practice and an avid reader of the Carlatte Psychiatry Report.

So let's start by talking about how self-injurious behavior and suicidality can be

differentiated in autistic children and teens. Usually autistic children who display suicidal

behavior tend to have milder intellectual disabilities

or learning disabilities.

On the other hand, children who exhibit classic self-injurious behavior typically have more

severe disabilities and engage in repetitive behaviors, like biting, slapping themselves,

or banging their head against walls or floors.

This behavior often stems from feelings of anger or sadness, but it doesn't always indicate

...