Children of Older Men at Greater Risk of Mental Illness - Article Example

The article “Children of older men at greater risk of mental illness, study suggests” has been compiled by Ian Sample and published in The Guardian on 26 February 2014. Medical science has always emphasized on the significance of increased maternal age and the associated risks of mental retardation in children. However, research has now highlighted that increased paternal age is also a potential risk for psychiatric problems in the children. The article discusses that children who are born to men who are beyond the age of 45 years have a greater susceptibility of having psychiatric conditions which would eventually lead to increased number of problems at school and developmental delays.

Although previously such risks were speculated, until now, they were not considered as serious as now. According to research studies, children with older fathers are at risk for a number of psychiatric conditions. These include autistic disorder, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as well as bipolar disorder. Children suffering from such conditions also report to struggle at their schools, have poor learning abilities and impaired cognitive development. Scientists suggest that the increased risk can be explained by the increased number of genetic mutations that builds up in the sperms as the men get older.

Children of older fathers also had increased risk of having suicidal behvaior and drug abuse. These findings were published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. However, the studies are restricted to comparisons between the siblings and it is difficult to separate the overlapping dimensions of paternal age, children’s age and the order of birth. In many countries, the age of first-time fathers are increasing which is an alarming sign keeping view the current researches. The average of men who are first time fathers in England is 30.8 to 32.6 years which clearly increases the risk of educational, psychiatric and behavioral problems in the children.

The article brings into attention a significant aspect of biological science associated with reproduction and conceiving. Being aware of the medical problems ours children are at risk is an important aspect for the parents as they are constantly worried about the well-being of their children. The association of increasing age of fathers and the increased risk of psychiatric conditions and behavioral disturbances in children is a resourceful research. Awareness regarding this study should be spread in the general public, as the new couples would indeed consider this before thinking of having a child.

Although, researches have put forward strong links and associations, certain limitations were also observed. One of them was the study overlapping with the siblings’ age and also with the birth order. This could mask the accuracy of the research. The topic is quite crucial and fundamental in biological science and requires further research and studies in order to remove any disparities or restrictions faced in previous studies. As Down syndrome was strongly associated with increased maternal age, further interventions and screening prenatal tests were formulated in order to detect the chromosomal abnormality before the birth of the child.

Similarly, if the association between paternal age and risk of child psychiatric abnormalities is strongly established, further advancements in its prevention and early detection can be made. ReferencesSample, Ian. “Children of older men at greater risk of mental illness, study suggests.” The Guardian. 26 Feb. 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.