The causes of asthma are not known, and there’s no accurate way to predict who will get asthma. Children with a family history seem to be more prone to getting asthma, particularly those who are allergic to something in their home environment (such as pets, dust mites, molds). Other environmental factors such as air pollution, indoor pests, dust, tobacco smoke, or toxic chemicals may provoke asthma as well. The underlying problem of asthma is swelling (inflammation) of the airways.
“We were very, very surprised,” admits Dale Umetsu, a professor of pediatrics at the Medical School and at Harvard-affiliated Children’s Hospital in Boston. “People have been confused about which cells in the lungs are responsible for all these years. Now, we have to rethink the results of so many studies. Our new findings were totally unexpected.” An estimated 17 million-20 million people in the United States suffer from asthma, and cases of it have been increasing since the early 1980s, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Every day, in this country, 30,000 people suffer an asthma attack, and 14 people die from the disease. So, knowing exactly which cells should be targeted for treatment is a vital part of relieving a lot of misery for lots of people. Asthma occurs when the body’s natural system of defense against bacteria, viruses, and other harmful microbes becomes overprotective.
But we do know that: • Asthma and allergies are likely to run in families and may be inherited. • Children who have allergies at a young age may be at greater risk for developing asthma as adults. • Some adults with asthma also had asthma as teenagers and as children. In some individuals, the condition may become less severe over time, but in others, the reappearance of symptoms in adulthood occurs. A respiratory infection sometimes sets it off, but often there is no apparent reason for the reoccurrence or increase in symptoms. For more information about asthma in children, go to Asthma In Children.
