International researchers recently published a study in the journal Nature Genetics revealing that they had discovered a new gene associated with severe childhood asthma, reports RedOrbit, an online science and technology resource.
According to the news outlet, the authors of the study examined 1,200 children between the ages of two and six and found that many of them had a risk gene called CDHR3 that has never before been linked with the development of the chronic respiratory disease.
"Asthma has many different underlying mechanisms, which need to be individually mapped," said Dr. Klaus Bønnelykke, a senior researcher at the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC), as reported by the source. "We know that children exposed to smoking have a higher risk of asthma attacks, but beyond that, none of our advice has really helped, and we won't make any progress until we understand the individual sub-types of asthma and their underlying mechanisms. In this respect, knowledge about risk genes is an important step in the right direction."
If your son or daughter suffers from severe childhood asthma, it's important that you consult a physician to find out how to best treat this potentially dangerous chronic respiratory disease.
That being said, there are also small steps you can take around the house to improve your child's quality of life. At Allergy Be Gone, we sell a number of asthma and allergy control products, such as hypoallergenic bedding and an allergen air purifier, that are effective at reducing exposure to common triggers. Check out our website today to find out more.
