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Asthma medication could stunt children’s growth
Posted On Oct 03 2015
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Corticosteroids in inhalers are frequently prescribed for infants with recurrent wheezing.
The latest guidelines for Global Positioning System indicate that children who take inhaled corticosteroids should have their height and weight monitored regularly for any sign of stunted growth following the findings.
Young children given asthma medication before the age of two may not grow to their full height in later life, a preliminary report suggests.
This result was more evident in children taking the asthma medicine budesonide for more than six months.
Corticosteroids are found in brown inhalers, used to manage asthma symptoms.
Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, also in Finland, analyzed the asthma medicine intake of children and the effect it had on their height and weight.
The researchers state that their observations highlight the importance of appropriate use of inhaled corticosteroids in infants.
Dr Saari said: “It is important that doctors think twice whether these steroids are needed or not in this age group”.
“According to our research, we could only assess the impact of inhaled corticosteroids on growth in infancy until 2 to 3 years of age”.
The Asthma Society of Ireland said it was crucial that parents of children with asthma had the right information about their child’s treatment and were not afraid of administering what was often life-saving medicine because of its side effects.
But scientists have found the medication may reduce growth rate.
In the long term, stunted growth during infancy can lead to individuals permanently losing growth potential, resulting in a shorter adult height than would have been expected.
Dr Samantha Walker, of Asthma United Kingdom, said: “The study confirms other research suggesting ICS used in infancy can interfere with bone growth, although the impact is relatively minor”.
“A slight reduction in growth is a small price to pay for medicines which may save your child’s life”.
