Children With Allergy, Asthma Have Higher Risk For Heart Disease, Study Says

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Allergic Living

Children who live with allergic diseases, in particular asthma and hay fever, have approximately twice the rate of high cholesterol and high blood pressure as their non-allergic peers, a new study says.

The study author warns that higher rates for two key cardiovascular risk factors mean that these kids could be on a course for heart disease from a surprisingly early age. But testing in these areas sooner when children are diagnosed with allergies or asthma could lead to earlier lifestyle interventions, which can reduce the cardiovascular risks...

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Fresno tries new approach to combatting asthma

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The Bakersfield Californian

By Alice Daniel, California Healthline Regional Correspondent

FRESNO — Stephani Pineda, a program coordinator for the Central California Asthma Collaborative, has walked through dozens of homes in Fresno County making recommendations to families whose children are at risk of asthma emergencies.

Her mission is to reduce indoor environmental triggers that can cause asthma attacks. Her suggestions range from the simple to the complex, from switching cleaning products to weatherizing a house...

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Why stress may be fueling the childhood asthma epidemic

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The Detroit News

By Karen Bouffard

Detroit has the highest rate of asthma among young children in America’s 18 largest cities, a problem that experts link to urban ills that could affect their health and learning for the rest of their lives.

In a study done exclusively for The Detroit News and PBS NewsHour, researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found about 2 of every 3 Motor City children face “adverse childhood experiences,” such as household substance abuse, exposure to violence and extreme economic hardship that can trigger asthma...

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Test catches asthma in children before symptoms appear

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Houston Herald

Nearly 7 million children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with asthma and thousands more are living undiagnosed, struggling to breathe each day. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine have found that a commonly used pulmonary lung function test can provide early detection of asthma before a child shows any symptoms of breathing problems. This early diagnosis could reduce the number of people who have serious complications of the disease later in life.

Asthma affects the airways that carry air to and from a person’s lungs. When a person with asthma is exposed to irritants in the air, the airways narrow and restrict the amount of air that is allowed to pass through. When a patient inhales, the air starts in the trachea and moves into two large bronchi — the large airway. It gradually moves down into smaller bronchi — the smaller airway. Experts say that both the large and small airways need to be clear for a person to breathe properly...

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