Infant Asthma Risks

My 8-month-old has had a few colds and seems prone to coughing with them. I recently found out that the place I worked while I was pregnant with her had had a roof leak and the inside of the walls was filled with mold! Could that have affected her in utero? I guess I'm worried about asthma, although we have none in our family.

First, bit of news: A brand new study in the January 2002 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine followed kids at high risk for asthma from birth until age 22. They found that those kids who wheezed or coughed before age 2 had absolutely no increased chance of asthma compared to the other kids. The same percentage got asthma in both groups. Early wheezing or coughing is not a sign of asthma. When it begins over age 2 it can be, however.

Second, while molds can certainly trigger asthma, it is unlikely that this airborne allergen would predispose her to asthma before she was born. Thirdly, the great majority of people with asthma have asthma in the family, and even when there is a strong family history of asthma, over 60 percent of the kids do not get it.

The information on this Web site is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding your or your child's condition.