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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : July 17, 2014 6:13 PM IST
Kids with asthma who take corticosteroid drugs via inhalers run the risk of less growth, an study suggests. 'Children treated daily with inhaled corticosteroids may grow approximately half a centimetre less during the first year of treatment,' said lead author Linjie Zhang from Federal University of Rio Grande in Brazil. In a new research, two new systematic reviews focused on the effects of inhaled corticosteroid drugs (ICS) on growth rates.
Inhaled corticosteroids are prescribed as first-line treatments for adults and children with persistent asthma. The first systematic review focused on 25 trials involving 8,471 children up to 18-years-old with mild to moderate persistent asthma. These trials showed that, as a group, inhalers suppressed growth rates when compared to placebos or non-steroidal drugs. In the second review, researchers reviewed data from 22 trials in which children were treated with low or medium doses of inhaled corticosteroids. (Read: All about asthma medication and treatment)
In three trials, using lower doses of the inhaled corticosteroids improved growth by a quarter of a centimetre at one year. 'This effect is less pronounced in subsequent years and seems minor compared to the known benefits of the drugs for controlling asthma and ensuring full lung growth,' Zhang added. The authors recommend the minimal effective dose be used in children with asthma until further data on doses becomes available. 'Growth should be carefully documented in all children treated with inhaled corticosteroids,' they concluded in the study published in the journal Cochrane Library. (Read: Natural remedies to relieve your child of the discomfort of asthma.)
Here are some steps to manage asthma in children better
Step 1: Know what triggers asthma in your child.
It could be airborne irritants like pollen, house dust mites, animal dander (from dogs and cats), mould, spores etc. Viral or bacterial respiratory infections like common cold, flu, bronchitis and sinus infections could worsen it. Foods like milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat, fish and preservatives like sodium bisulphite, potassium bisulphite, etc. can also trigger asthmatic episodes. Once you figure out the culprit, you can prevent attacks to a large extent.
Step 2: Minimize your child's exposure to allergens
Change bed sheets and pillow covers regularly. Wash the bed and pillow covers in hot water. Keep your kitchen and bathroom clean. Keep them dry to prevent mould and cockroaches. Replace carpeted floor with hardwood floors or tiles.
Avoid pets with fur or feathers in the house or keep them outdoors. Avoid stuffed animals, or only buy washable ones. Eliminate tobacco smoke from the home.
If food is the trigger for your child's asthma, get allergy skin tests done to determine the offending food. Avoid the ones that trigger your child's asthma.
Certain medications like aspirin, pain killers (NSAIDs), etc. may trigger an asthmatic attack. Such drugs should be avoided. Talk to your child's doctor about switching to alternative medicines.
Step 3: Monitor your child's lung function
Lung function measures how quickly you child can move air out of his/her lungs and it usually decreases a couple of days prior to an asthma attack. It can help you see if an attack is coming so that you can take actions accordingly.
Step 4: Ensure that the child takes his/her medications
Make sure your child takes the medications regularly as prescribed by the doctor. These medicines maintain the normal diameter of the airways and control airway inflammation thereby preventing an attack of asthma. Read more about 8 steps to manage asthma in children better
With inputs from IANS
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