Source: NPR
A new study published in JAMA Psychiatry discovered links between certain common infections and the development of mental illness in children and young teens.
The report indicates that infections weaken the immune system, and the immune inflammatory system is triggered, leading to a particular set of mental health illnesses that have previously been identified by researchers.
This study adds to those previous studies, suggesting that children who are hospitalized for an infection are 84 percent at higher risk of being diagnosed with a mental health disorder, as reported by NPR. They are additionally 42 percent higher risk of being prescribed a medication for mental illness. However the study also found this risk to be lower when considering the child’s genetics.
Researchers still believe there is a strong link between a weakened immune system and the likelihood of developing mental illness, as their studies found that there is heightened risk for getting a mental health disorder within a few months of being hospitalized for an infection.
Read Full Story: NPR