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Developmental and behavioral comorbidities of asthma in children

James A Blackman1, Matthew J Gurka

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA. jab5u@virginia.edu

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics : JDBP
|April 17, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Children with asthma face higher risks of developmental and behavioral issues, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and depression. Addressing these comorbidities is crucial for effective asthma management in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Chronic Disease Management
  • Child Psychology

Background:

  • Asthma is a prevalent chronic childhood illness, often managed without addressing associated developmental and behavioral conditions.
  • These comorbidities can negatively impact a child's quality of life and asthma control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of developmental and behavioral comorbidities in children with asthma.
  • To examine the influence of socioeconomic factors on these comorbidities.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the National Survey of Children's Health (2003-2004) involving 102,353 children.
  • Employed logistic regression to analyze associations between asthma and developmental/behavioral problems, controlling for socioeconomic variables.

Main Results:

  • Children with asthma showed significantly higher rates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, behavioral disorders, and learning disabilities (p < .0001).
  • Increased asthma severity correlated with higher rates of these problems, bullying, and drug abuse.
  • Asthma independently predicted developmental, emotional, and behavioral issues, even after accounting for socioeconomic factors.

Conclusions:

  • Children with asthma, particularly severe cases, are at elevated risk for developmental, emotional, and behavioral problems.
  • Socioeconomic disadvantage exacerbates these risks.
  • Integrated management strategies addressing both asthma and its comorbidities are essential for optimal child health outcomes.
Abstract

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