ASTHMA - RESOURCE CENTRE

Asthma is a condition in which the bronchial tubes of the respiratory tract are hyper-reactive. In response to various triggers, the airways constrict and get inflammed, resulting in the characteristic recurrent symptoms of asthma: (1) shortness of breath and/or (2) wheezing and/or (3) cough.

Currently, asthma is the most common chronic respiratory problem in children, and its incidence among Singapore children has doubled in the past 20 years. This increase in incidence is, in fact, a worldwide phenomenon. Whilst the exact cause for this is not known, the “hygiene hypothesis” suggests that because of “near-sterile” hygiene standards in early childhood, children who are less exposed to bacterial infections end up with an immune system which develops a more allergenic type response.

Asthma is largely an allergic disorder, which often occurs with allergic rhinitis (sensitive nose), allergic conjunctivitis (sensitive eyes) and eczema (sensitive skin). As with most allergic disorders, there is a significant hereditary component. So parents with atopy (sensitivity) are more likely to have atopic children.