5 ms·

"Gaps between epigenetic age and chronological age have been linked to health problems in the past, but again it's too soon to draw those kind of conclusions: t

"Gaps between epigenetic age and chronological age have been linked to health problems in the past, but again it's too soon to draw those kind of conclusions: the scientists readily admit they don't yet know how this will affect the kids later in life." And this is the crux of the matter. I don't doubt that children who are being cuddles more could have their genetics changed. Whether it actually has an effect on their prospects later in life I highly doubt.

creep 9y ago
My mom cuddled me when I was a babe but I still have autism ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- ZeroGravitas 9y ago
  Historically, mothers were blamed for causing their kids to have autism by being "cold" towards them. "Refrigerator mom's" was one name for them. With modern insight it seems more likely that moms somewhere on the autism spectrum themselves were being blamed because they seemed odd to neurotypical medics. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrigerator_mother_theory https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrigerator_mother_theory
  - creep 9y ago
    I have read about the refrigerator mom concept, but didn't make the link that these mothers could have potentially been autistic themselves. On this note, you are probably aware of the recent attention being paid to the diagnosis of women and girls with autism. Until recently the common conception was that males were more likely to have autism because most of the early research was done on autistic boys! And, in case you're curious to learn more and haven't heard, I've linked to an article from Scientific American (below) which reviews some newish research suggesting that females with autism have brains more closely resembling neurotypical males (and the interesting "protected sex" hypothesis, dealing with how testosterone influences the development of autism). My dad is likely autistic, so there's the link for me. I don't know him at all, but genetics are a whacky little code system and I've magically taken a liking to electronics and computers with the same degree of passion that he supposedly applies to his work with ham radio! I was raised in a highly artistic community, and although I have developed a decent creative ability and do art as a hobby, my career path is in maths and computer science. Interesting! https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/autism-it-s-different-in-girls/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/autism-it-s-diffe...
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
  - kevin_thibedeau 9y ago
    Children of distant mothers tend to develop anxiety and personality disorders. Witness the new king.
vixen99 9y ago
On what basis? "Early-Experiences-Can-Alter-Gene-Expression-and-Affect-Long-Term-Development.pdf" http://developingchild.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Early-Experiences-Can-Alter-Gene-Expression-and-Affect-Long-Term-Development.pdf http://developingchild.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/0...
- ThomPete 9y ago
  What specifically are you referring to in that paper?
dgut 9y ago
> I don't doubt that children who are being cuddles more could have their genetics changed. Looks like actual experts in the field disagree with you. [1] Also, deny a child affection and you have a mentally ill adult. Sadly, there is now an entire generation of parents who have been advertised things like the "cry-out" method. [2] [1] http://developingchild.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Early-Experiences-Can-Alter-Gene-Expression-and-Affect-Long-Term-Development.pdf http://developingchild.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/0... [2] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/192222.Solve_Your_Child_s_Sleep_Problems https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/192222.Solve_Your_Child_...
- ThomPete 9y ago
  France has done the cry out method for generations.
  - dgut 9y ago
    Just because someone has done something for generations doesn't make it right. They also send children to kindergarten by the 3rd month, for economic reasons. Having traveled a bit in Northern Africa, I noticed baby sleep problems are virtually non-existent there. They do what humans have done for eons: co-sleeping and breastfeeding. They do it so naturally, mothers are never fully awake while they breastfeed during the night (wife had to sleep in a room full of women and children on several occasions). Biologically, this makes a lot more sense than giving the signal to the most immaturely born placental mammal that she can't rely on the mother's care.
    - ThomPete 9y ago
      Wait are we talking morals or are we talking genetic and statistics? Denmark sends their kids to nursery school early too and because many women work full time there it means most children aren't with their parent's for a long duration of the day (used ot be much earlier). What you think about it morally isn't interesting to me. Unless you can prove it's somehow making them worse of then my original position is intact.
woodpanel 9y ago
I was having similar doubts, but the article states: "In children, we think slower epigenetic ageing could reflect less favourable developmental progress"
- ThomPete 9y ago
  Yeah but that's what I am doubting what even means to be honest. Premature kids behave very differently and many of them are void of contact in the beginning.

creep 9y ago

My mom cuddled me when I was a babe but I still have autism ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

ZeroGravitas 9y ago
Historically, mothers were blamed for causing their kids to have autism by being "cold" towards them. "Refrigerator mom's" was one name for them. With modern insight it seems more likely that moms somewhere on the autism spectrum themselves were being blamed because they seemed odd to neurotypical medics. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrigerator_mother_theory https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrigerator_mother_theory
- creep 9y ago
  I have read about the refrigerator mom concept, but didn't make the link that these mothers could have potentially been autistic themselves. On this note, you are probably aware of the recent attention being paid to the diagnosis of women and girls with autism. Until recently the common conception was that males were more likely to have autism because most of the early research was done on autistic boys! And, in case you're curious to learn more and haven't heard, I've linked to an article from Scientific American (below) which reviews some newish research suggesting that females with autism have brains more closely resembling neurotypical males (and the interesting "protected sex" hypothesis, dealing with how testosterone influences the development of autism). My dad is likely autistic, so there's the link for me. I don't know him at all, but genetics are a whacky little code system and I've magically taken a liking to electronics and computers with the same degree of passion that he supposedly applies to his work with ham radio! I was raised in a highly artistic community, and although I have developed a decent creative ability and do art as a hobby, my career path is in maths and computer science. Interesting! https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/autism-it-s-different-in-girls/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/autism-it-s-diffe...
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
- kevin_thibedeau 9y ago
  Children of distant mothers tend to develop anxiety and personality disorders. Witness the new king.

vixen99 9y ago

On what basis? "Early-Experiences-Can-Alter-Gene-Expression-and-Affect-Long-Term-Development.pdf" http://developingchild.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Early-Experiences-Can-Alter-Gene-Expression-and-Affect-Long-Term-Development.pdf http://developingchild.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/0...

ThomPete 9y ago
What specifically are you referring to in that paper?

dgut 9y ago

> I don't doubt that children who are being cuddles more could have their genetics changed. Looks like actual experts in the field disagree with you. [1] Also, deny a child affection and you have a mentally ill adult. Sadly, there is now an entire generation of parents who have been advertised things like the "cry-out" method. [2] [1] http://developingchild.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Early-Experiences-Can-Alter-Gene-Expression-and-Affect-Long-Term-Development.pdf http://developingchild.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/0... [2] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/192222.Solve_Your_Child_s_Sleep_Problems https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/192222.Solve_Your_Child_...

ThomPete 9y ago
France has done the cry out method for generations.
- dgut 9y ago
  Just because someone has done something for generations doesn't make it right. They also send children to kindergarten by the 3rd month, for economic reasons. Having traveled a bit in Northern Africa, I noticed baby sleep problems are virtually non-existent there. They do what humans have done for eons: co-sleeping and breastfeeding. They do it so naturally, mothers are never fully awake while they breastfeed during the night (wife had to sleep in a room full of women and children on several occasions). Biologically, this makes a lot more sense than giving the signal to the most immaturely born placental mammal that she can't rely on the mother's care.
  - ThomPete 9y ago
    Wait are we talking morals or are we talking genetic and statistics? Denmark sends their kids to nursery school early too and because many women work full time there it means most children aren't with their parent's for a long duration of the day (used ot be much earlier). What you think about it morally isn't interesting to me. Unless you can prove it's somehow making them worse of then my original position is intact.

woodpanel 9y ago

I was having similar doubts, but the article states: "In children, we think slower epigenetic ageing could reflect less favourable developmental progress"

ThomPete 9y ago
Yeah but that's what I am doubting what even means to be honest. Premature kids behave very differently and many of them are void of contact in the beginning.