Have you noticed that your adopted children who were abused and/or traumatized prior to adoption seem to have a higher incidence of asthma than other children do? I have noticed over the years that children new to my home tend to get sick frequently, especially during the first year of placement. While I hadn’t thought about asthma specifically, shortly after becoming a foster parent I became the owner of a nebulizer. Over the last 14 years, that nebulizer has had quite a workout, so I suppose there is something to it. New research in Puerto Rico indicates that children who have suffered sexual and/or physical abuse have double the average risk of developing asthma. In Boston, Harvard Medical School’s Dr. Juan C. Celedon and his colleagues want pediatricians to screen victims of child abuse automatically for asthma. More importantly, they want pediatricians to be aware that children with asthma may have suffered, or be victims of, child abuse.

The Harvard team looked to see if Puerto Rican children were more likely to have asthma when they had been exposed to violence in the community and/or in their homes. They hypothesized these stressors may increase childhood risk. They surveyed over 1,200 children as well as their primary caregivers. What they discovered was that at some point during childhood around 40 percent had been diagnosed with asthma. The results showed that childhood victims of physical or sexual abuse were nearly 3 times more likely to have asthma than their peers who had not suffered abuse. They were also more likely to be taking asthma medications.

However, the team noted that because the information about abuse was collected from primary caregivers, it might be understated. Of course, they also surveyed the children, but as you know, children of abuse often intentionally lie about abuse. Any readers of Faith’s blogs are also aware that because these children disassociate during abuse, they may not even be consciously aware of their abuse.

If you notice your adopted child wheezing, having trouble breathing, or complaining about chest pain, you may want to ask your doctor to screen for asthma. I wonder too, if these children are more likely to be exposed to cigarette smoke. It seems that most of my foster children had birth parents who smoked around them. Just a personal observation that wasn't talked about in the article.

• Is Adoption The right Choice For Your Family?
• Adoption Readiness Assessment
• Assessing Adoption Health Risks
• American Adoption Statistics Summary
• Older Parent Adoption
• Choosing An Adoption Agency
• Adoption Home Study Process
• Foster Care Adoption
• Domestic Adoption
• How to Tell if Your Child Has Impulse Control Problems
• How to Help an Older Child Stop Bedwetting?
• How to Prescribe Behavior to Prevent Child Meltdown.
• Room in Your Home and Heart for Foster Children

Photo Credit: 2007 Julia Fuller.