We are commonly asked when a child will “outgrow” their asthma. The Childhood Asthma Management Program (CAMP) is a long-term and large-scale study that assessed asthma and the factors that might predict whether asthma would persist. In the study some children were given an inhaled steroid (budesonide), some were given a non-steroid anti-inflammatory inhaler (nedocromil), and some were given a placebo inhaler. Based on their asthma symptoms during the study, they were divided into three groups: remitting (no asthma symptoms in the past year), persistent (asthma symptoms at least once in each 3 month period), or periodic (not meeting the criteria for either of the other two categories).
Only 6% of children met the criteria for remitting asthma.
All three treatment groups have improvements in measures of their asthma. Surprisingly, the likelihood of remitting (or “outgrowing”) asthma was not influenced by the specific treatment. Observations were made with regard to factors that were associated with a greater likelihood of remitting. These included:
• Absence of allergic sensitization (negative allergy tests)
• Milder asthma
• Older age
• Better lung function
Some of these observations are not a surprise. For example, it seems logical to think one is more likely to outgrow mild asthma than to outgrow severe asthma.
The child who is allergic to furry pets and has furry pets is very unlikely to outgrow asthma.
The child who is not allergic and wheezes only with colds and viruses is more likely to outgrow asthma.
Like so many other aspects of asthma, these observations are just that—observations—and not a crystal ball that will predict with absolute certainty what will happen to a single child with asthma.
It was a bit of a surprise in this study to see that the use of anti-inflammatory medications did not improve the likelihood of curing asthma. Is that a reason to not use preventive medication or any medication at all? Absolutely not! The medications are proven to improve asthma control. That means less interrupted sleep, less missed school and work, less ER visits and hospitalizations, and less use of higher dose oral steroids which carry greater risk with long-term or frequent use.
It is certainly our hope that we will be able to either cure or prevent asthma altogether. But until that day, it is advisable to maintain good asthma control with the tools of trigger avoidance and medications.
All three treatment groups have improvements in measures of their asthma. Surprisingly, the likelihood of remitting (or “outgrowing”) asthma was not influenced by the specific treatment. Observations were made with regard to factors that were associated with a greater likelihood of remitting. These included:
• Absence of allergic sensitization (negative allergy tests)
• Milder asthma
• Older age
• Better lung function
Some of these observations are not a surprise. For example, it seems logical to think one is more likely to outgrow mild asthma than to outgrow severe asthma.
The child who is allergic to furry pets and has furry pets is very unlikely to outgrow asthma.
The child who is not allergic and wheezes only with colds and viruses is more likely to outgrow asthma.
Like so many other aspects of asthma, these observations are just that—observations—and not a crystal ball that will predict with absolute certainty what will happen to a single child with asthma.
It was a bit of a surprise in this study to see that the use of anti-inflammatory medications did not improve the likelihood of curing asthma. Is that a reason to not use preventive medication or any medication at all? Absolutely not! The medications are proven to improve asthma control. That means less interrupted sleep, less missed school and work, less ER visits and hospitalizations, and less use of higher dose oral steroids which carry greater risk with long-term or frequent use.
It is certainly our hope that we will be able to either cure or prevent asthma altogether. But until that day, it is advisable to maintain good asthma control with the tools of trigger avoidance and medications.
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