Asthma and Other Medical Conditions
For years, researchers have focused on which children are likely to have asthma, how it occurs, what treatments work best, and the impact of various triggers. But a new area that is opening up is the relationship between asthma and other common childhood medical conditions.
Obesity Link
One of the top health concerns about children today is obesity. For years, studies have shown that children with asthma were more likely than non-asthmatic children to be overweight. But, what has been less clear was whether children with asthma may become obese because they participate in less physical activity or whether obese children were more likely to get asthma.
Essential
Emerging research has found that children with asthma are more likely to be obese and less likely to exercise than those without the disease. One British study, for example, said a reason was that asthma was identified as a barrier to exercise by both parents and children.
Nearly half the children with asthma, ages seven to fourteen in the study, were overweight, as defined by their body mass index, which relates height to weight; within that group, 20 percent were obese. In comparison, only about 30 percent of the kids in the study without asthma were overweight or obese, while 7 percent were in the obese category.
Nearly two-thirds of the children said asthma was a top reason why the children skimped on physical activity. A third of the asthmatic children stated that better management and control of their asthma would help them be more active.
For most children with asthma, current studies have shown that participating in sports and exercise is possible with care or pretreatment — using quick-relief and/or longer-acting medications and warm-up exercises — before the activity. (Also see Chapter 19.) These children also should monitor their environment and avoid potential triggers — such as cold air or pollens — that could create asthma symptoms.
Mental and Developmental Health Link
More studies are being called for on other conditions that often accompany asthma such as depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD), anxiety, and various learning disabilities.
These additional conditions — also known as comorbidities — can negatively affect a child's ability to cope with asthma, according to research from the University of Virginia Children's Hospital. If these conditions can be addressed at the same time, health care providers might be better able to help children with asthma and their families gain an additional advantage in managing their asthma, the researchers said.
Alert!
The research found that depression, anxiety, behavioral problems, and learning disabilities were common comorbidities among children with asthma. They also noted that the more severe the child's asthma, the higher the incidence of these types of problems.
More than 10 percent of asthmatic children were reported to have problems that lasted longer than a year and required counseling or treatment. Also, these children often missed ten or more days of school, which led parents and caregivers to be anxious about their children's academic and emotional development.
