Cats, dogs and kids

Health Minutes - 19 September 2002
Children exposed to two or more cats or dogs in the first year of life have lower responses to a whole host of allergic substances at age six or seven, researchers have found.

Tags: child-health-and-behaviour, allergies, asthma

Homeopathy for asthma

Health Minutes - 19 March 2002
A UK study shows that when, as a homeopathic treatment, asthmatics take tiny doses of whatever it is they're allergic to, the results aren't any better than taking a placebo.

Tags: alternative-medicine, allergies, asthma, vaccines-and-immunity

The asthma - obesity link

Health Minutes - 30 October 2001
Several studies in Britain have found that asthma is more common in obese kids - but it's not the obesity that is causing the asthma. It may be their diet or due to the fact they watch more TV.

Tags: epidemiology, asthma

Getting rid of dust mites

Health Minutes - 13 August 2001
One of the causes of asthma is the the house dust mite. Trying to get rid of it by pulling up carpets, getting rid of pets like cats, covering mattresses and pillows and so on, is of limited use in reducing asthma attacks, though it is of some help in the first year of life, a study shows.

Tags: child-health-and-behaviour, allergies, asthma, skin

Asthma and fats in the diet

Health Minutes - 23 July 2001
Australian research shows that pre-school children with a diet high in polyunsaturated fats are more likely to suffer from asthma.

Tags: child-health-and-behaviour, diet-and-nutrition, asthma

Asthma and families

Health Minutes - 16 July 2001
The way families function affects asthmatic children's quality of life and perception of their illness, and may flow on to how well they accept treatment.

Tags: child-health-and-behaviour, asthma, mental-health

Asthma in Aboriginal children

Health Minutes - 16 July 2001
Aboriginal children living in remote communities don't get asthma, but when they live in towns they get asthma at the same rate as non-Aboriginal children, though it's not clear why.

Tags: indigenous-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander, child-health-and-behaviour, allergies, asthma

Asthma drugs in pregnancy

Health Minutes - 25 June 2001
Research shows that women with asthma who don't use preventer medications during pregnancy have babies who weigh less than non-asthmatic women.

Tags: asthma, pharmaceuticals, womens-health

Asthma warning

Health Minutes - 04 June 2001
Two studies from the US show that people taking long-acting reliever medications cannot stop their preventive medications.

Tags: asthma

Spacer devices for asthma

Health Minutes - 23 April 2001
Research suggests that for most asthma attacks, a largish plastic bubble called a spacer is as good at relieving the attack as a nebuliser - and it's simpler, faster, cheaper, and perhaps safer.

Tags: child-health-and-behaviour, asthma, pharmaceuticals