Adverse childhood experiences linked to increased asthma risk in kids

the Clinical Advisor take:

Even one adverse childhood experience can increase a child’s risk of developing asthma, study findings published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology indicate.

To examine the correlation between single and cumulative adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on parent report of lifetime asthma in children, Robyn D. Wing, MD, of St. Vincent Hospital, in Worcester, Massachusetts, and colleagues, surveyed parents of more than 92,000 children aged 0 to 17 years.

Of all the children in the sample, 31% were exposed to at least one ACE. “What surprised us was that among the children who had been exposed to 5 or more ACEs, 25% of parents or guardians reported that their child had an asthma diagnosis — compared with only 12% for those with zero ACE exposures,” noted Wing in a press release.

“The data showed that the more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) a child is exposed to, the greater the probability he or she will develop asthma.”

Parents were asked if the child lived with anyone who had a problem with alcohol or drugs; if they lived with anyone who want mentally ill, severely depressed or suicidal; if they lived with anyone who served time in jail or prison; if a parent or guardian was divorced or separated; or if a parent or guardian had died; and if the child had witnessed any domestic violence in the home.

“We know that young children are susceptible to numerous adverse factors that they may be exposed to in the home environment — including cigarette smoking, indoor triggers, and even, as this study shows, dysfunctional families and associated domestic violence” said American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) president James Sublett, MD.

“It is even more important that these high risk children are identified and cared for by experts in the management of asthma."