More research needed on link between strabismus and mental health disorders in kids
There is an association between strabismus diagnosis and later being diagnosed with mental health disorders in children 15 years and younger, according to a presentation at ARVO 2021.
In this retrospective cohort study, 131,413 patients between the ages of 0 and 15 years old with a strabismus diagnosis were diagnoses and the relative risk of being diagnosed with a mental health disorder was calculated. The average age at diagnosis was 3.7 years.
Patients who had a prior diagnosis of strabismus were more likely to be diagnosed with the following mental health disorders:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (RR 1.73, 95% CI 1.55-1.93]
- Major depressive disorder (RR 1.22, 95% CI 1.10-1.35)
- Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (RR 1.57, 95% CI 1.51-1.64)
- Substance use disorder (RR 1.60, 95% CI 1.15-2.23)
- Adjustment disorder (RR 1.78, 95% CI 1.63-1.95)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (RR 1.63, 95% CI 1.33-1.99)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (RR 1.21, 95% CI 1.01-1.46)
- Anorexia (RR 1.92, 95% CI 1.73-2.12)
- Conduct disorders (RR 1.75, 95% CI 1.64-1.86)
- Tourette’s disorder (RR 1.34, 95% CI 1.02-1.77)
The researchers concluded that more research is needed to understand these relationships.
Reference
Firl K. Associations between a strabismus diagnosis and subsequent mental health disorders in children and adolescents. Presented at: ARVO 2021.
Reference
Firl K. Associations between a strabismus diagnosis and subsequent mental health disorders in children and adolescents. Presented at: ARVO 2021.
