Potential anxiety risk in children with asthma

A significantly increased risk of anxiety was found in children diagnosed with asthma, according to a University of Queensland study published in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.

Researchers from the UQ School of Public Health analysed 9369 reports using data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), which has followed the development and wellbeing of 10,000 children since 2004.

Lead author and PhD candidate Diana Garcia Sanchez said the findings revealed 4-year-olds with asthma were more likely to develop anxiety between the ages of 6 and 15 years, compared to non-asthmatic children.

“We found there was an 87% increased risk overall for children with asthma,” Sanchez said.

“We also found girls with asthma experienced more anxiety than boys during adolescence.”

Around one in five Australian children live with asthma, but researchers don’t believe medication used to treat the condition is responsible for the increased risk of anxiety.

“The asthmatic children in the study who were unmedicated developed anxiety at a higher rate than those who were medicated for asthma,” Sanchez said.

“The children who were not taking asthma medication were 9% more likely to develop anxiety than their medicated counterparts.”

Sanchez suggested other factors like the additional burden to manage the disease or a link between immune system dysfunction/inflammation and mental health could be relevant.

“Other factors could explain the link between asthma and anxiety, and health professionals and parents should regularly monitor the mental health of children and provide psychological support where appropriate.

“This may help identify those most at risk of developing anxiety earlier and improve management of the condition,” Sanchez said.

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