Another important reason to watch children’s asthma

3 May 2011

The Asthma Foundation is advising parents of children with the condition, that they now have another important reason to ensure that their child's asthma is well controlled.

"As part of Asthma Awareness Week we would like to remind parents about the results of the Children's Learning Study done in Christchurch, which were published recently," says the President of the Foundation, Professor Ian Town.

This study, which was carried out from 2005 until 2008, involved 298 new entrant school children from five schools in Christchurch. More children with asthma were considered low achieving at the end of the school year as compared to children without asthma.

Associate Professor Kathleen Liberty, the principal researcher for the study, which was funded by the Asthma Foundation, was surprised by the results. The research team wants more work done on why a higher proportion of children with asthma struggled with reading.

Assoc Prof Liberty's team consisted of Professors Philip Pattemore and Jim Reid, and Dr Michael Tarren-Sweeney.

The Asthma Foundations says that a link between asthma and lower learning achievements has been established.

The study was controlled for social economic factors, school absenteeism (which asthma often causes or contributes to) and other relevant co-factors. Currently, the research team is examining data on the course of asthma and asthma symptoms during the first of year of school.

"Importantly, these results don't mean that a child with asthma will not do as well at school for example." Professor Town says.

"Nor should they unduly worry parents. It's just a sharp reminder of yet another reason for asthma management to be taken seriously."

The Asthma Foundation asks that parents and caregivers of children with asthma make sure that their child has a child asthma plan, which they can fill out together with them and a health professional. These plans are available at www.asthmafoundationorg.nz.

Also, parents need to have their children immunised against influenza each year. Moreover, children need to be kept on at, if necessary, to use their preventer medications regularly rather than just relying on their relievers when their asthma gets bad.

ENDS

© Scoop Media