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Sheryl · 09-15-2005, 01:04 PM

Me neither. My mom was not known for her housekeeping skills, to say the least. She did smoke like a chimney. That is more likely my case.

Nords · 09-15-2005, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheryl

That is scary.* *Do you have a sense of why these increases are occurring?* More and more young children are being diagnosed, it seems.* Is it because we spend so much more time indoors? Air pollution?* Toxic offgassing from construction materials? Mutating viruses??

In part, I think better or more agressive medical treatment and attention are identifying cases earlier on (like mine) that would not have been recognized in the past.* *

Scientific American had an article a couple years back speculating that it's too much anti-bacterial cleanliness.

There are apparently two types of immune responses-- the classic antibodies in the blood and the asthmatic swelling of the lung's tissues. If a kid is raised around a "healthy" amount of dirt then they develop a strong antibody system. If a kid is raised in such a clean environment that they don't encounter many germs then they may develop an asthmatic immune response instead. This was tested between American kids & European kids (whose parents apparently have a much more casual attitude toward dirt) but "further research grants is necessary".

That doesn't explain the sudden onset of adult asthma. A shipmate of mine, with 18 years of service, went back for his fourth submarine tour in his late 30s and had his first asthma attack while he was standing the OOD watch. It laid him out on the deck and almost killed him before the corpsman got a handle on the symptoms. It also got him a return ticket to shore duty & a medical retirement... he's fine today on medication. He never had a history of asthma or even allergies so this one seemed to come out of nowhere.

MRGALT2U · 09-15-2005, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords

Scientific American had an article a couple years back speculating that it's too much anti-bacterial cleanliness.

There are apparently two types of immune responses-- the classic antibodies in the blood and the asthmatic swelling of the lung's tissues.* If a kid is raised around a "healthy" amount of dirt then they develop a strong antibody system.* If a kid is raised in such a clean environment that they don't encounter many germs then they may develop an asthmatic immune response instead.* This was tested between American kids & European kids (whose parents apparently have a much more casual attitude toward dirt) but "further research grants is necessary".

That doesn't explain the sudden onset of adult asthma.* A shipmate of mine, with 18 years of service, went back for his fourth submarine tour in his late 30s and had his first asthma attack while he was standing the OOD watch.* It laid him out on the deck and almost killed him before the corpsman got a handle on the symptoms.* It also got him a return ticket to shore duty & a medical retirement... he's fine today on medication.* He never had a history of asthma or even allergies so this one seemed to come out of nowhere.

A lot of what I am dealing with "came out of nowhere". Doctors have no clue
as to the causes which is kind of irrelevant I guess. Anyway, I dodged a
bullet today. I stopped at a Burger King on my way to fish away the
afternoon. Watching the preparation of my food
completely spoiled my enthusiasm. I ate some cheese and beer and fed
the Burger King lunch to my dogs.

JG