Stressed Parents Causing Asthma?

Source: From across the pond (BBC) and back

I know, as parents we need another reason to feel guilty over the damage we do raising our children. It’s not bad enough that they aren’t getting the best nutrition available or the best education, now we can also apparently stress them into developing health conditions!

Results of University of California Studies and Asthma UK researchers suggest that children from “stressful” households are more susceptible to reacting to airbourne (I had to do that) irritants resulting in asthma. For you mothers who smoke, here’s double the guilt, you are apparently compounding the risk.

Somehow stressed out parents, who described their lives in terms like “Unpredictable,” “overwhelming” and “out of control,” pass this stress to their children in the form of increased inflammatory response to pollutants. While the majority of this focuses upon stress while pregnant (Yes, that cig and glass of merlot really wasn’t a good idea) the implications are further reaching.

The answer? Oh that’s simple. Just stop stressing out and your kids will breathe better. Don’t you wish everything was that easy? (Don’t stress over that. No. Seriously. . .)

Posted by David Marc Schwadron, Esq.