Key Takeaways
Two-thirds of of kiddos with chronic illness had persistently high stress hormone levels
High cortisol in hair was linked to more anxiety, depression and behavior problems
Hair tests may offer doctors a new tool to identify kids who are most at risk
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 17 2025 (HealthDay News) — Children with chronic illnesses face extra challenges, and measuring stress through hair samples may help doctors predict which kids are at highest risk for mental health problems.
Researchers studied 244 Canadian children with chronic physical illnesses such as , and . Over four years, the team measured cortisol — a hormone released during stress — using hair samples.
Cortisol is a chemical marker that reflects stress over time.
More than two-thirds of the kids had consistently high cortisol levels. Those children were more likely to develop symptoms of anxiety, or behavior problems than peers whose cortisol levels declined over time, the study found.
“Living with a chronic illness means facing daily challenges such as taking medications, missing school and adjusting activities, all of which can take a serious emotional toll,†lead author said in a news release. She’s a doctoral candidate in Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.
The study also found that children whose stress hormone levels decreased showed fewer emotional and behavioral symptoms.
“Identifying these risk factors early could help doctors and families intervene before emotional and behavioral difficulties take hold,†study co-author , a professor of public health sciences at the university, explained.
He added that hair cortisol is “non-invasive and easy to collect†and could one day be used to track whether treatments are reducing stress.
Nearly 40% of Canadian children live with a chronic illness, researchers noted, putting them at higher risk for poor quality of life, suicidal thoughts and greater use of health care services.
The study was recently published in the journal .Ìý
In related research, the team also found that certain blood biomarkers may help predict whether mental health symptoms worsen or improve in children with chronic illnesses.
More information
The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University has more on the .
SOURCE: University of Waterloo, news release, Sept. 15, 2025
What This Means For You
If your child has a chronic illness, doctors may one day use a simple hair test to measure stress and spot mental health risks early.
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