Hair test reveals stress in kids with chronic illness
A simple hair test can identify high stress levels in kids with chronic illness, linking to mental health risks like anxiety and depression.
Why it matters
- Identifies kids at risk for mental health issues.
- Non-invasive method using hair cortisol levels.
- Potential for early intervention and support.
By the numbers
- 244 children aged 2-16 studied over 4 years.
- 68% had consistently high cortisol (hypersecretion).
- 9% had consistently low cortisol (hyposecretion).
- 23% had high-to-low cortisol levels (hyper-to-hypo).
The big picture
- Chronic high cortisol linked to greater mental health risks.
- Factors like disability scores, gender, and parental characteristics also matter.
- Hair cortisol testing could help target support for at-risk kids.
What they're saying
- Some question the practicality of the findings.
- Critics note chronic illnesses and treatments may skew cortisol levels.
- Personal anecdotes highlight potential benefits of early stress identification.
Caveats
- Study limited by participant demographics (mostly White, advantaged families).
- No healthy control group; broad age range spans key developmental stages.
- Effects of puberty not measured.
What’s next
- Further research to validate findings across diverse populations.
- Potential for hair cortisol testing to screen children and track treatment effectiveness.