Children in the same family often share difficult early life experiences, but most research looks at just one child at a time. This study found that when a firstborn child experienced adversity, like family violence, parental mental health issues, or substance misuse, during the first 1000 days of life, their siblings were also more likely to have mental health problems and need hospital care as they grew up. The findings suggest that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in one child can signal wider risks for the whole family, highlighting the need for long-term support for first-time parents and their children.
Shabeer Syed et al. | Adverse childhood experiences in firstborns and mental health risk and health-care use in siblings: a population-based birth cohort study of half a million children in England | The Lancet Public Health, 2025