Stress and Asthma Are Connected

A study, reported recently in Thorax, found that stressfulevents significantly increased children's chances of having asthmaattacks within 2 days and again about 6 weeks later. For 1 1/2years, the study tracked the health of 60 children, aged 6 to 13,with asthma. The families were asked to keep records of the children'sasthma attacks and to conduct daily tests of their breathingcapacity. In addition, family members were instructed torecord any events that might trigger stress, such as moving orchanges in the household.

The results of the study showed that the children were 4 timesas likely to suffer attacks within 2 days of stressful events.Although the reasons were unclear, the researchers said that thechildren also were at a higher risk of having another asthmaattack 6 weeks later.