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Season of birth and childhood psychosis
1Centre Alfred Binet, Paris, France.
Insights
Winter birth may increase the risk of childhood psychosis, particularly for boys born in December. This study examined psychotic children and controls to assess seasonal birth patterns and potential risk factors.
Area of Science:
- Childhood psychosis research
- Seasonal birth patterns
- Epidemiology of mental health disorders
Background:
- Childhood psychosis is a severe mental health condition.
- Previous research has explored potential environmental risk factors, including seasonal influences.
- Understanding risk factors is crucial for early intervention and prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that winter birth is a risk factor for childhood psychosis.
- To determine if specific birth months are associated with an increased risk of developing psychosis in children.
- To analyze seasonal birth trends in a cohort of children diagnosed with psychosis.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study design was employed.
- 208 children diagnosed with psychosis were compared to 1040 matched controls.
- Data were collected from a Paris day-treatment facility between 1960 and 1986.
- Risk ratio estimates were calculated for each birth month.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant increase in risk for childhood psychosis was observed in boys born in December.
- The strength of this association varied across different years.
- No increased risk was found for births in months immediately adjacent to December.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest a potential, albeit specific, association between December birth and childhood psychosis in males.
- The observed association's variability and lack of contiguous month excess warrant cautious interpretation.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms behind this potential seasonal risk factor.
Abstract:
This paper reports a test of the hypothesis that winter birth is a risk factor for childhood psychosis. All psychotic children (n = 208) admitted to a day-treatment facility in Paris from 1960 through to 1986 were compared with 1040 controls matched by sex and year of birth. Risk ratio estimates were computed for each month, and a significant increase was observed for boys born in December. This association was stronger in some years than in others. The fact that there were no excesses in contiguous months detracts from the persuasiveness of this association.