If a mom dealt with depression when her kids were between the ages of 6 and 10, those kids tended to have a litany of problems by the time they turned 16, according to a new Canadian study published by Pediatrics. They were twice as likely to use tobacco or marijuana, for instance, and 1.4 times more likely to use hallucinogens.
The problems didn’t end there. These teens also were more likely to get in trouble at school, fight, carry weapons, sell drugs, steal or vandalize property.
The study’s authors say kids are at their most moldable and vulnerable during those early elementary school years. They’re learning a great deal about themselves and the world around them. When mothers are depressed and don’t get help, it impacts their ability to nurture their children during those critical years. Kids feel elevated levels of stress, which impacts them later on. (InteliHealth)