New Study Warns of Increased Risk for Neuropsychiatric Disorders in Children After SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jul 27, 2025 7 hours, 38 minutes ago
Medical News: A new large-scale study has uncovered a troubling link between COVID-19 infections and a higher risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders in children and teenagers. Researchers analyzed data from over 1.2 million young individuals and found that those who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were significantly more likely to suffer from conditions like anxiety, depression, ADHD, and even suicidal thoughts compared to those who remained COVID-free.
New Study Warns of Increased Risk for Neuropsychiatric Disorders in Children After SARS-CoV-2 Infection
This extensive investigation was led by a collaboration of experts from 25 top pediatric medical institutions across the United States under the National Institutes of Health’s RECOVER Initiative. Participating centers included the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Duke University, University of Michigan, NYU School of Medicine, and Stanford Children’s Health, among others. The study focused on children aged 5 to 11 and youths aged 12 to 20, using data collected between March 2020 and December 2022.
This
Medical News report reveals that the effects of COVID-19 infection go beyond the acute phase, with subtle but meaningful impacts on the mental health of young people, even several months after recovery.
Infection Adds to the Pandemic Mental Toll
Using electronic health records, the researchers compared 326,074 COVID-positive children and youths with 887,314 matched COVID-negative individuals. All participants were followed for signs of new mental health issues between 28 and 179 days after their infection or test date.
Among children with a history of infection, there was a noticeable increase in conditions like anxiety disorders (0.26% risk difference), obsessive-compulsive disorder (0.02%), ADHD (0.11%), autism spectrum disorder (0.10%), and stress-related conditions. For teens and young adults, COVID-19 was linked with higher risks of anxiety (0.26%), minor depression (0.21%), suicidal thoughts (0.11%), insomnia (0.13%), and attention issues.
Though the absolute percentage increases might seem small, the researchers emphasized they were statistically significant and could lead to long-term consequences when scaled to national or global levels.
Implications for Public Health and Pediatric Care
The study confirms that both the infection itself and broader pandemic-related stressors have had measurable impacts on mental health. Importantly, the risk increase was higher in older youths compared to younger children. The researchers used advanced data methods, such as difference-in-differences analysis and over 200 control variables, to isolate the effects of COVID-19 from general pandemic anxiety.
The authors concluded that even slight increases in childhood neuropsychiatric issues could carry lifelong burdens, especially if undiagnosed or untreated. They call for urgent, well-designed studies that look into how infections like COVID-19 may influence brain development and mental health, not just d
uring childhood but also across the lifespan.
The study findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal: Nature Communications
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1038/s41467-025-61961-1
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Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/mysterious-wave-of-sudden-mental-disorders-in-children-linked-to-covid-19-infections-alarms-doctors
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/even-mild-covid-19-is-causing-new-onset-of-psychiatric-disorders-in-children
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-negatively-affects-the-emotional-development-and-neuropsychological-function-of-children
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