Children smaller than half a centimeter. This could be the consequence of inhaling corticosteroids, effective during an asthma attack, according to a study. But these results should nevertheless be put into perspective.
Several concerns have been raised in the past about the effects of certain asthma treatments on the growth of children. And a study published on The Cochrane Library shows that indeed, the inhalation of corticosteroids, the most common treatment during an attack in children with severe asthma, would indeed result in a slowing of growth, the first year of use. Thus, the children treated by this method would be on average half a centimeter smaller than the others.
Child’s first chronic illness
8,471 children participated in this large study, which included 25 different clinical trials. Some of the participants were given corticosteroid therapy, while the rest were given other drugs or placebos. The researchers then observed this slowdown in growth during the first year of treatment.
Today more than 4 million people are considered to have asthma in France, including 9% under the age of 18. It is the first chronic disease in children. One of the most common methods of asthma attacks is the use of inhalers. The study therefore provides new interesting information on their possible side effects.
Do not panic
Asked about the implications of this study, Doctor Pascal Chanez, pulmonologist and professor at the University of Aix-Marseille, nevertheless relativized the results: “Parents should not be alarmed because doctors are aware of these growth problems. Their role is precisely to find the right measure so that the treatment is well dosed: effective and without too many side effects ”. Especially since half a centimeter is not much, compared to the benefits provided by the treatments. “The clinical impact of inhaling corticosteroids in relation to the benefits of these drugs on asthma is minimal”, he recalls.
Finally, this impact on children’s growth is only measured during the first year of treatment. What reassure parents and children who should in no case interpret these results as an argument not to follow their treatment.
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