(HealthDay)—Children exposed to maternal depression have an increased risk for developmental vulnerability at school entry, with stronger associations for exposure to maternal depression before age 1 year and between ages 4 and 5 years, according to a study published online Aug. 17 in Pediatrics.

Elizabeth Wall-Wieler, Ph.D., from Stanford University in California, and colleagues examined the association between exposure to maternal depression before age 5 years and five domains of developmental vulnerability in a cohort study involving 52,103 children who completed the Early Development Instrument between 2005 and 2016.

The researchers found that compared with children not exposed to maternal depression before age 5 years, those exposed to maternal depression before age 5 years had a 17 percent for having at least one developmental vulnerability at school entry. The strongest associations were seen between exposure to maternal depression and difficulties in social competence, and well-being, and emotional maturity (adjusted relative risks, 1.28, 1.28, 1.27, respectively). Exposure to before age 1 year and between 4 and 5 years was most strongly associated with developmental vulnerability for most developmental domains.

"We are facing a public health crisis," write the authors of an accompanying editorial. "Maternal depression is widespread and not limited to the perinatal period. We have a role as pediatricians to work toward diminishing the deleterious effects of depression on mothers and their children."

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Editorial