The chances of seeking Emergency Room care is higher for children suffering from a combination of asthma, anxiety, and depression, according to a new study.
More than 65,000 children and youth with asthma between the ages of six and 21 were part of the study. The study's results showed7.7 per cent of participants with depression and anxiety had a rate of 28 ER visits per 100 child years. Those numbers are much higher compared to those patients who do not suffer from either mental health issue.
"Asthma self-management is complex, requiring recognition of symptoms, adherence to medication and avoidance of triggers," first author Naomi Bardach, MD, MAS, of the University of California, San Francisco, Department of Pediatrics and the Philip R Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, told anews portal. Adding, "The symptoms of anxiety and depression can make it more challenging to follow treatment, leading to more ER visits."
Through their investigation, researchers discovered children with asthma are likely to have anxiety and depression. The study's findings were originally published in the journal Pediatrics.
Previous research has also found the risk of asthma is higher for children who are obese or overweight. “Experts have speculated that abnormal lung growth associated with obesity causes airflow obstruction," study author Dr Jason Lang of Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina, told a news portal. Adding, "Several studies have shown that asthma symptoms get much better with weight loss but the exact mechanism is unknown."
Dr Deepa Rastogi, director of the Pediatric Asthma Center at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in Bronx, New York, believes helping children maintain a healthy weight can help reduce their risk of developing the condition and manage symptoms of asthma. “Children with asthma can be as active as they want to be - we have had Olympic level athletes with asthma,” Rastogi told a news portal.
Rastogi further explained: “There is no activity that children with asthma need to avoid." Adding, “They need to be aware of their symptoms and if they associate a particular activity with asthma, they should take their asthma medication called albuterol 20 to 30 minutes before they participate in that activity.”
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