MONDAY, Jan. 22, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Millions of American families struggle to find and keep stable housing — and the fight to do so may end up harming kids’ health.

Researchers found that when families faced various types of “housing instability,” moms had a higher risk of depression and kids were more likely to be in “fair” to “poor” health.

It wasn’t only overt homelessness that seemed to take a toll. Kids were also at a heightened risk of poor health when their families moved around a lot, or struggled to make the rent.

It’s not clear exactly why, said lead researcher Dr. Megan Sandel, a pediatrician at Boston Medical Center.

But, she said, “having a stable home is a foundation to thriving.”