Study finds that children given asthma steroids more likely to experience

Children under the age of two who take asthma medication are more likely to face stunted growth, research suggests.

Many factors that alter development in children, such as chronic illnesses and long-term use of oral corticosteroids, may cause a shorter than normal height in adulthood.

The effect on growth was more evident in children taking the asthma prevention inhaler, budesonide, for more than six months.

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are strong medications commonly found in inhalers, used to treat asthma in adults and recurrent wheezing in children – but they are known to have side-effects in a few people. The potent anti-inflammatory agents effectively reduce asthma symptoms.

The researchers state that their observations highlight the importance of appropriate use of inhaled corticosteroids in infants.

Inhaled corticosteroids – drugs in a few inhalers that combat the breathing condition – are often prescribed for youngsters.

The findings presented at the 54th Annual European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Meeting in Barcelona was based on an analysis of height, weight and asthma medicine intake of 12,482 Finnish children aged 0 to 24 months.

Dr. Antti Saari from the University of Eastern Finland is the lead researcher of the study.

There are an estimated 470,000 asthma sufferers in Ireland, according to the Asthma Society of Ireland.

The latest guidelines for Global Positioning System recommend that all children taking inhaled steroids for asthma should have their height and weight checked every year for any signs of reduced growth.

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”.