U.S. National Library of MedicineNational Institutes of Health
Skip navigation
MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You
Contact Us FAQs Site Map About MedelinePlus
español
Reuters Health Information Logo

Parent health sways views of asthmatic kids' health

Printer-friendly version E-mail this page to a friend

Reuters Health

Friday, January 2, 2009

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Parents' own chronic health problems may influence their perceptions of their asthmatic children's well-being, a new study suggests.

The study, of more than 500 children with asthma, found that those whose parents had a chronic health problem tended to miss more school days. Their parents were also less likely than other parents to rate their child's health as "very good."

On average, children whose parents had a chronic disease missed one to two more days of school per year, the researches report in the journal Pediatrics.

The findings suggest that parents with chronic health conditions of their own may have "altered perceptions" of their children's health, explained lead researcher Dr. Ellen A. Lipstein, of MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston.

These parents may, for example, be more likely to see their children as vulnerable, keeping them home from school more often or keeping them out of certain activities.

Lipstein and her colleagues based their results on a national survey of parents of 561 children aged 5 to 17 with asthma. Parents were asked to rate their child's general health, anywhere from "poor" to "excellent." They were also asked whether they had ever been diagnosed with any of a range of chronic diseases, including heart disease, asthma, diabetes and arthritis.

In general, the researchers found that when parents were chronically ill, their children tended to miss more school -- even when the children's asthma severity was taken into account. These parents were also less likely to grade their child's health as "very good" or "excellent."

Overall, 62 percent described their child's health this way, versus three-quarters of parents without a chronic health condition.

The implication, Lipstein told Reuters Health, is that both parents and doctors should be aware that parents' own health may influence their perceptions of their children's asthma.

She recommended that parents be open with their pediatrician about their own health and family history of any major medical conditions.

Parents who are unsure about managing their child's asthma -- uncertain, for example, about when their child should stay home from school -- should bring their concerns to their doctor, Lipstein said.

SOURCE: Pediatrics, January 2009.


Reuters Health

Copyright © 2009 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.

Related News:
More News on this Date

Related MedlinePlus Pages: