Helsinki, Jan 3
Obese children with a history of early childhood wheezing, a breathing problem that results in a whistling or rattling sound in the chest, are at risk of facing reduced lung function as they grow up, a study has found.
"Weight control is especially important for children who have suffered from bronchiolitis in early childhood,” said Virpi Sidoroff at the University of Eastern Finland.
At the same time, the study showed that the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) for asthma in childhood may result in reduced bone mineral density (BMD) in early teen years. BMD is used in clinical medicine as an indirect indicator of osteoporosis and fracture risk.
“As to the use of inhaled corticosteroids, particular attention should be paid to using the lowest sufficient dose to maintain adequate asthma control," said the researchers.
The researchers selected 100 children aged 1-23 months and hospitalised for wheezing to an early-intervention bronchiolitis study.
By:IANS