One in four children worldwide suffers from a chronic illness

                                One in four children worldwide suffers from a chronic illness

A strand of hair can reveal stress in children, study confirms

A strand of split ends can identify children with chronic illnesses and those at greater risk of anxiety, depression, or behavioral disorders, according to a recent study published in the journal Stress and Health.

One in four children

The study, conducted this year and reported by New Atlas, estimated that one in four children worldwide suffers from a chronic illness, with prevalence estimates ranging from 10% to 30%. Living with a chronic physical illness presents multiple challenges, from symptom management to mental health, increased risk of depression and anxiety, and social impact.

Chronic Physical Illnesses

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada, sought to understand how long-term stress, measured through cortisol levels in children's hair, is linked to mental health problems in children with chronic physical conditions, such as type 1 diabetes, juvenile arthritis, and epilepsy.

Severe Emotional Toll

"Living with a chronic illness means facing daily challenges such as taking medications, missing school, and modifying activities, all of which can take a significant emotional toll," explained Emma Littler, lead researcher and a doctoral candidate in public health sciences at the University of Waterloo. "These findings suggest that higher levels of chronic stress, measured through hair samples, could help identify children with chronic illness who are most at risk for mental health problems, opening the door to earlier and more targeted support."

Cortisol

Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys. Cortisol helps regulate the body's response to stress and controls essential body functions such as blood sugar, blood pressure, inflammation, metabolism, and sleep-wake cycles. Cortisol circulates in the blood, and small amounts are deposited in growing hair. Because hair grows steadily, it represents a "timeline" of stress exposure.

1-3cm Hair Strip

On average, scalp hair grows about 1cm per month. Therefore, a 1cm strip closest to the scalp represents approximately the last month of cortisol exposure. A 3cm strip represents approximately three months. Hair cortisol concentrations are a relatively new, non-invasive way to measure stress over months, rather than just minutes or hours.

Cortisol Patterns

The children's cortisol patterns were divided into three groups: hypercortisolism (68%), characterized by persistently high cortisol levels; hypocortisolism (9%), characterized by persistently low cortisol levels; Hypercortisolism to hypocortisolism (23%), where cortisol levels start high and then decline to normal levels. Children in the hypercortisolism to hypocortisolism group experienced fewer mental health problems (both internalizing and externalizing symptoms) than children in the hypercortisolism group. 

Children in the hypocortisolism group showed no significant difference in mental health symptoms compared to children in the persistently high cortisol group.

Targeted Support for Children

This method of tracking hair cortisol over time could help identify children at greater risk for depression, anxiety, or behavioral problems, and allow for targeted support for children with persistently high cortisol levels. The study also suggests that mindfulness-based interventions can help lower cortisol and improve outcomes for children.

Early Diagnosis

Dr. Mark Ferro, study co-author and associate professor in the Faculty of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo, noted, “Identifying these risk factors early can help clinicians and families intervene before emotional and behavioral difficulties become more severe.” He explained, “Hair cortisol provides a non-invasive, easy-to-collect biomarker that could one day be used to screen children [and also assess] whether treatments or support programs are helping to alleviate stress.”