Many parents who suffer from respiratory dysfunction ask themselves: Is asthma hereditary? After all, no one would want a child to suffer from asthma attacks. It is possible to give a clear answer to this question only by understanding the nature of this disease and the factors of its development. Bronchial asthma is a severe chronic disease that provokes inflammation in the airways.
Factors of occurrence of bronchial asthma
Asthma attacks worsen most often at night. This leads to disruption of the central nervous system. Various factors provoke breathing difficulties, wheezing and coughing: dust, pollen, animal hair, household chemicals, viral infections. Asthma itself is a multifactorial disease. Therefore, it is safe to say that it is inherited.
Regular studies of the causes of asthma reveal more and more new factors. Today, aspects that affect the development of the disease can be divided into two groups: external and internal. Internal causes include heredity, overweight and the sex of the child. External include:
- Smoking;
- Profession;
- Allergens;
- infections;
- Nutrition;
- Ecology.
genetic factor
Modern scientists are conducting research on the issue of whether such an ailment as asthma is inherited. Based on the results of the analyzes, it was found that a lot of the child's genes are involved in the formation of asthma even in the womb. It is genetically enhanced the production of specific compounds that affect the formation of allergic manifestations.
It is safe to say that at the genetic level, the excessive excitability of the cells of the respiratory tract, which are responsible for the development of bronchial asthma, is inherited. The reaction of the immune system, which is aimed at protecting the body and preventing the development of allergies, can also be genetically impaired.
Geneticists have established several sections of chromosomes that are responsible for the formation of the respiratory tract and the tendency to this disease. But research to find the genetic causes of the development of bronchial asthma is being carried out to this day. It is worth noting that the majority of cases of asthma, which is inherited, the line of transmission of the disease is predominantly maternal. But the male sex of the future baby is more likely to suffer from asthma than the female. It is a congenital disease predominantly in boys, but acquired asthma throughout life is characteristic of women.
Bronchial asthma and pregnancy
If a woman suffers from bronchial asthma during pregnancy, do not panic. After all, this does not mean that the baby will also get sick. There is no 100% evidence of the transmission of the disease by inheritance. Therefore, the child has every chance to be healthy. To achieve this, the mother must necessarily monitor the state of her body.
If a woman develops an initial form of bronchial asthma at the time of bearing a baby, nothing threatens the fetus. The restless state of the expectant mother can affect the development of the fetus. So, excessive nervousness, frequent stressful situations, insomnia can affect the child. During this period, it is important to regularly see an allergist, who will help to cope with asthma without harm to the little one.
In turn, the chronic form of asthma can provoke:
- Difficulties in fetal development;
- premature birth;
- Too low body weight of the child.
It is known that the birth of a child prematurely leads to underdevelopment of the respiratory tract. The respiratory organs are poorly protected, so the baby can suffer from asthma and other types of allergies from birth. To protect your child as much as possible, you need to create certain conditions for him. First, it is breastfeeding. It is mother's milk that can restore and improve the functioning of the baby's immune system.
Secondly, the conditions in the house. The peanut must be kept clean. Parents are required to carry out regular wet cleaning of the house. It is imperative to purchase a humidifier that will capture dust in the air. Bed linen should not only be washed in several stages, but also carefully ironed. So, steam kills all the harmful chemicals left over from washing.
Psychosomatics
Sometimes asthma in a child is not at all related to heredity, as is commonly believed. American scientists have found that if the baby does not receive proper attention, he begins to show the need for this in other ways. The cry of the baby indicates that something is bothering him. The mother must necessarily respond to these calls and is next to her baby.
If the cry is ignored or banned in the family, the baby does not receive proper attention, affection and tenderness. He feels anxious and restless. Already at the subconscious level, his body begins to look for new ways to attract attention. So, a cough, runny nose, wheezing develops, which in speed lead to bronchial asthma. In this case, there is no need to talk about heredity.
If the cause of asthma in infants is a psychosomatic factor, traditional medicines for the disease will not bring any result. And even if the baby receives the desired attention and care, the feeling of discontent on the part of the family is especially acute. So, again, on a subconscious level, the problem will periodically pop up again and again. From this it follows that the cause of the disease can be both heredity and mental state.
