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Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

economist.com

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Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#21

Post by all2 »

thenerdhead wrote: post #16

> Dr Pittenger says it is now clear that covid-19 infections can trigger psychosis, fatigue and other neuro-psychiatric symptoms. A misbehaving immune system is thought to be the culprit. The idea that schizophrenia may, at least sometimes, likewise be an auto-immune disorder is also under investigation. Until I got long covid(generally recovered now after 2 years), I couldn't comprehend this idea. I felt like I was…

I remember reading awhile back about a study that showed people with the flu are generally more social while the virus is spreading. There's also those nasty sugar cravings that seem to pop up when people diet, and it may be that the microbiome drives those cravings. It's a curious thing to think that the bugs in our bodies may drive our impulses.

Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#22

Post by baz00 »

badcppdev wrote: post #8

This is sad: "years spent campaigning to get doctors to take the illnesses seriously." It's like that saying, "Capitalism: The worst economic system, except for all the others". Our medical system where we rely on individual doctors for primary care is really flawed but it's better than any alternatives that we have (or that we can afford anyway)

Yup. "well you're unlikely to have that at your age so go home and don't worry about it". I had it.

Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#24

Post by idontwantthis »

> Such findings may have significance beyond a single obscure, debilitating illness. For they fit an intriguing, and growing, body of evidence that other kinds of psychiatric conditions might also result from infections

Nobody tell Henry Cotton.

Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#26

Post by snapcaster »

atonalfreerider wrote: post #14
colordrops wrote: post #3

I remember feeling pretty normal until I had a strep throat infection when I was 7, after which I got really introverted and twitchy/compulsive ever since. Maybe a coincidence but I sometimes wonder if that did something to me. edit: I swear I made this comment this before reading the article. It starts off with a boy at 7 with strep that got twitchy, which is 100% in line with my experience. Crazy.

I had strep as a child and I developed tics and compulsive speech. Also some OCD. I'm almost 40 and I still have the compulsive speech. When I have awkward thoughts, I start cursing under my breath. Another kid in my class has strep, and he has OCD so bad, that some days he can't leave the house.

Wow weird, me too and never thought to connect it to strep. Any idea what about strep throat might be causing that?

Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#28

Post by Aeolun »

danzer420 wrote: post #12
coldtea wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Our medical system where we rely on individual doctors for primary care is really flawed but it's better than any alternatives that we have (or that we can afford anyway) The US one I presume? Says who? Based on what metric? We can, and other countries have, do much better. That this parent "is “exhausted” by years spent campaigning to get doctors to take the illnesses seriously" doesn't say much. It's not like she…

which countries have a different system than individual doctors for primary care, and how is it better?

Japan has a ‘go to any specialist nearby and be seen’ system. Very few GP’s, and a multitude of specialists for their own area of expertise.

I had my pick of three ortholaryngologists today (all of them less than ideal according to reviews, but they were there).

Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#29

Post by cloudquelle »

When I was around 12 or 13, I had the Epstein-Barr virus.

For a couple of *months* I couldn’t: - Walk straight. Always looked like I was completely drunk - Speak normally. Each word I spoke was only half-finished and I had to constantly re-pronounce any words again and again - Write on paper. I just couldn’t write a single sentence, it just didn’t work. I had practically lost the “precision ” of any movements

Not to mention the constant headache and pain in the throat.

I am wondering why it lasted that long and if it had left any sort of permanent effects.

Re: Common infections can spark psychiatric illnesses in children

#30

Post by jeroen »

thenerdhead wrote: post #16

> Dr Pittenger says it is now clear that covid-19 infections can trigger psychosis, fatigue and other neuro-psychiatric symptoms. A misbehaving immune system is thought to be the culprit. The idea that schizophrenia may, at least sometimes, likewise be an auto-immune disorder is also under investigation. Until I got long covid(generally recovered now after 2 years), I couldn't comprehend this idea. I felt like I was…

Did you learn anything that helped in your recovery? I'm 1.5 years in and nowhere near a full recovery yet.
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