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. 2014 Sep;165(3):592-9.e5.
doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.05.023. Epub 2014 Jun 19.

Child allergic symptoms and mental well-being: the role of maternal anxiety and depression

Alison Teyhan  1 , Bruna Galobardes  1 , John Henderson  1
Affiliations

Child allergic symptoms and mental well-being: the role of maternal anxiety and depression

Alison Teyhan et al. J Pediatr. 2014 Sep.

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether maternal mental health mediates the relationship between eczema or asthma symptoms and mental well-being in children.

Study design: Analysis of 7250 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Child mental well-being at 8 years was measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Binary outcomes were high 'internalizing' (anxious/depressive) and 'externalizing' (oppositional/hyperactive) problems (high was >90th percentile). Child rash and wheeze categories were 'none'; 'early onset transient' (infancy/preschool only); 'persistent' (infancy/preschool and at school age); and 'late onset' (school age only). Maternal anxiety and depression were reported during pregnancy and when child was 8 years old.

Results: Persistent wheezing symptoms were associated with high externalizing (OR 1.74, 95% CI, 1.41-2.15) and internalizing (1.67, 1.35-2.06) problems compared with never wheeze. Maternal anxiety and depression, and disrupted child sleep, attenuated these associations. Persistent rash (externalizing: 1.74, 1.40-2.15; internalizing: 1.42, 1.16-1.74) and late onset rash (externalizing: 1.62, 1.17-2.25; internalizing: 1.46, 1.07-1.99) symptoms were associated with poorer mental well-being compared with no rash at any age. Maternal anxiety and depression, particularly when child was aged 8 years rather than during pregnancy, accounted for the association with internalizing symptoms and partly for externalizing symptoms. Sleep disruption did not mediate the association.

Conclusions: Maternal anxiety and depression may mediate the association between child rash and wheeze and child mental well-being.

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Theoretical model of role of maternal anxiety and depression in association between child allergic symptoms and child mental well-being.
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