Knowing Your Family History of Asthma

 

For those of you in the U.S., Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away.

That can mean dealing with a large group of extended family members you may not see throughout the year. (And there may be that one certain relative you want to avoid.....)

We try to not discuss politics during family dinners.That's sure to start a fight.    

But as you are catching up with family members about their life, they may mention medical problems (especially for those of us who are a little *ahem* older)

Do allergies & asthma run in your family? 

I didn't know there was a family history of asthma on my husband's side until AFTER my son was hospitalized - and THEN diagnosed with asthma. 

 25 years ago, I remember asking my Pediatrician if it was possible Middle Son had asthma. I had read an article in Parent's magazine about asthma, and all of the signs and symptoms sounded REALLY familiar. 

I noticed Middle Son was: 

• Sicker more often than his older brother and friends 
• Seemed to get more severe illness than his brother with the same illness 
• His illness would last much longer than his brother's illness 

Pediatrician assured me that  "it was just a virus". Fast forward a few months and we were back in the Pediatrician's office, but this time it was full of staff checking my son's oxygen level and giving him a breathing treatment.

They told me to take my son to the attached hospital and they were admitting him "for breathing problems". The respiratory therapist in triage told me that my son had asthma.

I knew it! 

Moms are always right. We have a special sense that something is wrong with our child. We are in tune with the way they breathe, speak, and act. We can just tell when something isn't right. 

If I had known that asthma ran in the family, the Pediatrician may have been more likely to listen to my concern that Middle Son had asthma.

Asthma doesn't just run in our family - it gallops!   

Shortly after his diagnosis, I was diagnosed with asthma - and boy did that explain a few things about me coughing all the time when I was growing up. Then I looked back and noticed the same signs and symptoms of asthma in my family. 

In our family, asthma is genetic. But in some families, there may be no known cause.  

Avoid politics (if you can) at Thanksgiving this year and ask about any medical problems that may run in the family. You may be surprised to find a family history of heart disease, cancer, etc.

If your family is driving you crazy, a sure fire way to leave is to complain of nausea 😉 

Hugs, 

Andrea