Several years ago, the Manchester Community Asthma Study (MANCAS) found that a neonatal treatment called the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine reduced the chances of children developing asthma symptoms such as wheezing between the ages of six and 11. In an effort to chart the effectiveness of this vaccine later in life, researchers conducted a follow-up study, MANCAS 2, during which they found that the treatment had stopped working in individuals whose ages ranged from 13 to 17.
"Among 1,608 respondents, those who received the vaccine had similar rates of wheezing (15.8 vs 14.3 percent, respectively) and hay fever/eczema (44.4 vs 46.0 percent) to those who did not receive the vaccine," states News-Medical.Net. "This was the case even when both measures were stratified for neonatal BCG vaccine, postnatal BCG vaccine (>12 weeks of age), and high-dose vaccine (due to hospital error)."
Although there isn't yet a way to prevent or cure asthma, there are actions that parents can take to ensure that their children maintain a good quality of life in spite of having to deal with this chronic respiratory disease. Fortunately, there are skilled doctors who can help develop specialized treatment plans for asthma sufferers of all ages.
There are also changes you can make around the house to keep symptoms at a minimum. At Allergy Be Gone, we sell a number of asthma and allergy control products that can make a significant difference. Check out our website today to find out about how hypoallergenic bedding or an allergen air purifier can improve your child's well-being.
