Bronchial Asthma Causes
Hereditary predisposition to atopic form of disease: if one of the parents suffers from bronchial asthma, probability of asthma occurrence in a child is 25-30%, if both parents – up to 75-80%.
Allergic disease’s presence in a child or members of his family (atopic dermatitis, pollinosis, food or drug allergy) is a signal that bronchial asthma can develop. In 60% of children with bronchial asthma, relatives suffer from allergic diseases.
In the first year of life, allergens are more likely to enter body through the gastrointestinal tract (food allergy), and in older children pollinosis predominates. Often asthma cause is a pathological reaction to:
- house dust;
- pollen;
- medicines;
- food.
Allergens from pollen of grasses and trees can have a seasonal allergic effect.
Bronchial Asthma in Children: Causes
The most pronounced ability to provoke spasms of bronchi is microscopic ticks, living in house dust, carpets, soft toys and bedding. A high sensitizing role is played also by down and feather of birds in blankets and pillows, mold on walls of damp premises. Wool and saliva of domestic animals (dogs, cats, guinea pigs, hamsters), dry food for aquarium fish, fluff and feathers of poultry also often contribute to child allergization. Even after removal of animal from premises, allergens concentration in apartment decreases gradually over several years.
Environmental factor: inhalation of harmful substances (exhaust, industrial emissions, household aerosols) with air is a common cause of asthma development due to immune disorders in body.
An important risk factor for developing asthma is smoking (for young children – passive smoking, or finding a person near the smoker). Tobacco smoke is a strong allergen, so if at least one of the parents smokes, the risk of a child developing asthma significantly Increases.
Viruses and bacteria causing damage to respiratory organs (bronchitis, acute respiratory infections, ARI) contribute to allergens’ penetration into bronchial tree walls and bronchial obstruction development. Often repeated obstructive bronchitis can become a bronchial asthma trigger mechanism. Individual hypersensitivity only to infectious allergens causes non-atopic bronchial asthma development.
Factors of physical impact on body (overheating, hypothermia, physical exertion, sudden changes in weather with changes in atmospheric pressure) can trigger an suffocation attack.
Asthma can be a consequence of child’s psychoemotional stress (stress, fright, constant scandals in family, conflicts in school, etc.).
A separate form of the disease is “aspirin” – induced asthma: an attack of suffocation occurs after aspirin use. The drug itself is not an allergen. When it is used, active biological substances are released, and they cause bronchi spasm.
