Does childhood asthma affect growth and development?
Disease description:
My child recently had frequent episodes of wheezing accompanied by coughing. After taking the child to the hospital for an examination, the doctor diagnosed it as pediatric asthma. I've been worried about whether the occurrence of pediatric asthma might affect the child's growth and development. Can pediatric asthma impact a child's growth and development?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Zhou Xiaofeng
Whether childhood asthma affects growth and development mainly depends on the severity of the condition and the timeliness of treatment. If asthma is treated promptly and effectively, it usually has little impact on a child's growth and development. However, if asthma attacks recur frequently and are not well controlled, it may adversely affect the child's growth and development. Specifically, asthma attacks can lead to oxygen deficiency in children, which may impair brain development; over time, this could affect overall growth and development. In addition, asthma may disrupt sleep quality, and insufficient sleep is also detrimental to growth and development. More seriously, asthma may cause children to develop allergies to various foods, resulting in inadequate nutrition intake, further impairing growth and development. Parents should take childhood asthma seriously and ensure their children receive timely and effective treatment to minimize its potential impact on growth and development.
