Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease to affect children (an estimated 7-10% of the pediatric population). Various environmental and maternal factors have been suggested as possible causes, but what about the solution to this frustrating condition?

A recent study published in the Journal of Asthma found that breastfeeding can reduce the risk of children developing asthma.

Among nearly 5,200 Brazilian schoolchildren 7-14 years of age, children who had not been breastfed during infancy were more likely to suffer from asthma, wheeze (labored breathing, particularly when exhaling, sometimes accompanied by tightness in the chest), or wheeze after exercise compared with children breastfed for six months or more. This association was noted only in children without a family history of asthma, emphasizing the independent protective influence of breastfeeding on asthma risk.

These findings add to the considerable evidence linking breastfeeding with positive health benefits for the child. For more information on pediatric health, talk to your doctor and visit http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/pediatrics.html.

Reference:

NRomieu I, Werneck G, Velasco SR, et al. Breastfeeding and asthma among Brazilian children. Journal of Asthma 2000: Vol. 37, No. 7, pp575-83.