Infants exposed to viruses by older siblings face a higher risk of hospitalization and long-term socioeconomic challenges, according to new research.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- Increased Hospitalization Risk: Second-born children face a two to three times higher risk of being hospitalized with respiratory illnesses during infancy compared to first-born children, particularly during the first six months of life.
- Long-Term Socioeconomic Impact: Early exposure to respiratory illness is associated with a lower likelihood of completing secondary or higher education and an average income loss of nearly 1% in adulthood.
- Preventative Benefits: Researchers suggest that improving hygiene, vaccination rates, and support for families with multiple children can provide societal benefits that extend far beyond the healthcare system.
Infants who contract respiratory illnesses from older siblings may experience diminished educational attainment, lower income, and poorer health outcomes as adults, according to research from the University of Copenhagen.
The study, published in the American Economic Review, found that second-born children face a two to three times higher risk of being hospitalized with respiratory illnesses during infancy compared to first-born children of the same age. This risk is most pronounced during the first six months of life, when infants are biologically most vulnerable.
“We see that second-born children have a two to three times higher risk of being hospitalized with respiratory illnesses during infancy compared to first-born children at the same age,” said N Meltem Daysal, associate professor at the department of economics and CEBI, in a news release.
The consequences of these early infections often extend into adulthood. According to the research, early exposure to illness is associated with a lower likelihood of completing both secondary school and higher education. Specifically, the probability of completing higher education decreases by approximately 0.4 percentage points for children exposed to respiratory illnesses as infants.
These educational setbacks often lead to financial impacts later in life. On average, these individuals lose just under 1% in annual income as adults.
“A significant proportion of the loss of income can be explained by the fact that illness in infancy affects children’s educational pathways,” said Daysal, in a news release.
To reach these conclusions, researchers analyzed detailed register data from more than 1.2 million Danish children, following them from birth into adulthood. By combining birth order data with local variations in disease outbreaks, the team was able to identify causal effects of infant illness rather than simple correlations.
The findings suggest that early intervention and prevention strategies are critical for long-term development.
“Through vaccination, good hygiene, and support for families with both infants and children in childcare, we can reap benefits that extend far beyond the healthcare system,” said Daysal.
