Early Childhood Respiratory Illness a Huge Risk Factor for Asthma

The use of antibiotics to treat respiratory infections early in life may contribute to the development of childhood asthma. It is possibly because the immune system does not build up antibodies early in life.

Infections are a risk factor for asthma, particularly viral infections. Rhinovirus infections increase the risk of developing asthma ten times. It is thought these infections may damage the airways that increase the risk of later deveoping childhood asthma.