Mothers’ depression ‘can affect babies’

CHILDREN of women who suffer severe post-natal depression can suffer speech and language difficulties and find it difficult to socialise in later life if they are not given support by the wider family and if their mother’s health problems aren’t treated, a leading psychiatrist has said.

Speaking at a seminar on perinatal mental health services at the Adelaide and Meath National Children’s Hospital, UCD Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fiona McNicholas said that post partum depression can affect the male baby in particular.

“Research has shown that post partum depression has cognitive effects, especially on boys.