Most infants of parents with a psychiatric diagnosis develop like other children – but a small group stands out

However, the report also identifies a small group of infants who stands out. These children are more likely to have remarks in their community health nurse records concerning sleep, language development, and contact and interaction with their parents. They are also breastfed for a shorter duration. These differences are especially noticeable when both parents have at least one psychiatric diagnosis.

Community health nurses can add remarks to a child’s record under the categories of health, development, and well-being. Such notes typically reflect developmental delays or other concerns that require closer observation, further assessment, or referral.

Senior researcher Trine Pagh Pedersen from the National Institute of Public Health has contributed to the report:

“Previous studies have shown that children of parents with mental illness have a higher risk of developing physical and mental health problems later in life. That’s why it’s crucial to pay special attention to these children and their families – so they can receive the right support at the right time,” she says.

Data from approximately 160,000 children

The report was conducted for the Capital Region of Denmark and is based on data from the Child Health Database collaboration. This includes records from community health nurses in 26 municipalities within the region, along with data from national registers.

The study covers nearly 160,000 children born between 2002 and 2022. Of these, nine percent have at least one parent with a psychiatric diagnosis.

Among this group, a smaller proportion receive more remarks related to breastfeeding, sleep, language and communication, and parent-child contact and interaction.

The results show that:

• 50.6% of children with at least one parent with a psychiatric diagnosis were not fully breastfed for at least four months, compared to 37.8% of children whose parents have no diagnosis. The proportion increases to 59.3% when both parents have a diagnosis.
• 7.5% receive remarks related to sleep and daily rhythms, compared to 6.1% of children with parents without a diagnosis. This rises to 9.9% if both parents are affected.
• 3.3% receive remarks about language and communication, compared to 2.5% in children with no parental diagnosis. If both parents have a diagnosis, the proportion increases to 4.6%.
• 2.2% receive remarks concerning parent-child contact and interaction, compared to 1.1% of children of parents without a diagnosis. This rises to 4.1% when both parents have a psychiatric diagnosis.

“Especially children whose parents both have a psychiatric diagnosis are more likely to receive remarks. This could reflect the fact that these parents, as a unit, may be more vulnerable when facing the challenges of having a newborn,” says Trine Pagh Pedersen.

No significant differences were found between the groups when it comes to remarks about growth or motor development.

Both mother’s and father’s diagnoses matter

The report also examines whether it makes a difference which parent has a diagnosis.

“We found that the risk of receiving remarks increases no matter whether it is the mother or the father who has a psychiatric diagnosis. In the past, most attention has been paid to the mother's role in the child's early development, but this report shows that the father's psychiatric diagnosis in itself also plays an important part,” says Trine Pagh Pedersen.

She emphasizes the importance of identifying vulnerable families early so that support can be provided. Here, cross-sector collaboration between general practitioners, midwives, and community health nurses play a crucial role.

Contact: Senior Researcher Trine Pagh Pedersen, +45 6550 7885, email: tppe@sdu.dk, and Academic staff member Simone Gad Kjeld, +45 6550 7768, email simk@sdu.dk, National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark