40.5% of Children & Adolescents With Autism Have Suicidal Thoughts & Behaviors

About 40.5% of adolescents and young adults ages 8 to 25 with autism said they wanted to die. About 19.3% said they wanted to end their own life, and 7.4% had a suicide plan. Of those who reported wanting to die, 36.2% reported having suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) before age eight. Of those who reported wanting to end their life, 35.3% said these thoughts started before age eight. Of those who reported having a suicide plan, 18.1% reported having the plan before they turned eight.

The prevalence of STB at a young age . . .