Depressed parents may equal sick kids

You may know that your mental health can affect your children's state of mind, but did you know that it might also impact their physical health, too? According to a new study in Pediatrics, the rates of both emergency room visits and sick visits to primary care departments were higher for children who were exposed to at least one parent with depression.

Researchers aren't sure yet whether these kids actually get sick more often, if their parents just have a tougher time diagnosing and treating them on their own, or if there's poor parenting by the depressed parents. Regardless of reason, researchers suggest that improved treatment of depressed parents may have beneficial effects on the physical and mental health of their children. They also recommend efforts aimed at early detection of psychiatric and medical problems in offspring.