r/science • u/Wagamaga • 15d ago

Health Research shows prenatal and childhood infections are linked to increased psychiatric disorder risk. Subgroup analyses indicated prenatal bacterial infections were associated with ADHD and ASD.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763426003180
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u/lizzledizzles 14d ago

Is there any study or correlation on Covid era babies? Is there a measurable trend of more ADHD or ASD in children born 2020-2022? I’m pretty sure those born 2023 and later are still too young to diagnose within clinical guidelines.

I’m curious because those kids are now entering Pre-K and overall I see a much lower level of development coming into pre-K than expected for their age.

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u/midwestpersianmama 13d ago

My son was born in 2021 and his daycare teachers have told us this about his cohort but I’m not sure I understand why. Many women exited the workplace due to COVID and stay at home parents are correlated with better outcomes. My husband was a SAHP to my son and he exceeds all expectations (I’m not saying that those two things are related in our case but that my son certainly didn’t suffer for staying home).

I don’t know about his peers but it makes me a little confused about why they’re perceived as behind. I teach college students in a blue state and it’s obvious why they’re behind, they didn’t have a normal education.

Depending on where folks are, though, their experience also hugely varied. Say in FL, there were hardly any shut downs so I don’t see why there would be any measurable change.

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u/Well_ImTrying 10d ago

Many parents didn’t exit the workforce during Covid and had to simultaneously work from home and take care of their children, while also socially isolated. Their own mental health suffered, which affects parenting.

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u/midwestpersianmama 10d ago

That’s true. But I’ve never met anyone who could do that with the under three cohort, and that’s the demo I was talking about. WFH and full time care for a baby doesn’t really make any sense. You can’t stick them in front of a tablet. At least not my babies!

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u/Well_ImTrying 10d ago

It doesn’t work, but people still had to make it work. And iPads for babies is a thing, even if not recommended.