Recently a medical student who was under home quarantine after returning from Russia committed suicide. She was found hanging in her room. She was waiting for the result of her Covid test.

When online classes started in June this year, a young girl committed suicide as she did not have any facility at her home to attend these classes.

A 14-year-old boy hanged himself because he was not allowed to play football with friends. His parents hadnot allowed him to go out and play due to the Covid pandemic.

The state of Kerala has been witnessing a spike in the number of child suicide cases during this pandemic period, raising concerns over the mental and emotional well-being of children. Suicide has been identified as the third leading cause of death among young adults.As per available statistics, an average of over 300 child suicides is recorded in Kerala annually. Over 110 children took their lives between January and June this year. Research shows that a student commits suicide every hour in India.

It has been noted by the authorities that at least 66 children aged below 18 years have committed suicide in Kerala during the current lockdown period. The young adolescents are experiencing anxiety, mental stress and a lot of other issues. 

For the last five months, children all over the world have been facing a prolonged state of isolation from their friends, teachers, extended families and community gatherings. The loneliness at home, without physical contact with their friends, would impact the mental health of children and adolescents.

The indefinite closure of schools has been causingstress and anxiety among children, especially teenagers, as they are not able to interact freely with their friends. Emotional trauma, study-related pressure, domestic issues, compulsion by parents, discord among parents, and alcoholism of fathers are also found to be common causes. Apprehensions and anxieties surrounding online classes, romantic relationships, the influence of social media, substance abuse, and alcohol addiction are among the issues driving children to take this drastic step. Parents are also stressed owing to the uncertainties arising from the Covid-19 situation. So they are not able to spend quality time with their children.

Parents have an irreplaceable role to play. In most cases, the trigger behind the suicide could have been easily prevented. The only way to overcome thisproblem is by stepping up guardian support.

Teachers and counsellors should be able to identify children who are suffering distress and provide the requisite intervention. Individual counselling has an enormous role. Right now, in the pandemic situation of Covid-19 only tele- counselling is possible to reach out to these children.

Though various departments have launched multilevel initiatives for the mental well-being of children, effective intervention is still scarce and unavailable at the school level. To prevent depression and suicidal thoughts in children, early psychosocial intervention has to be provided to them.

Teachers need to be specially trained as they are the ones who work in close contact with children. They should have the knack to identify troubling traits among students and report to school counsellors. Parents and teachers should mentor the children collectively, and schools should serve as hubs for such interaction.