Please read Dr. Ramagopal’s article in Lung India titled, “The effect of the indoor environment on wheeze- and sleep-related symptoms in young Indian children.“
The prevalence of asthma in India has risen over the past decade. Studies have estimated the prevalence of childhood asthma in India to be 5%–10%. The prevalence rates are included from both urban and rural setting from the northern and southern regions of the country. While the cause of rising asthma rates in India is not known, exposure to many environmental factors can trigger or exacerbate asthma.
Wheeze in young children is considered to be a significant predictor of later development of asthma. A study of young children with asthma observed that almost half had at least one episode of wheeze in their 1st year of life. While the incidence of wheeze is low among school-age children, wheeze is a common symptom among preschoolers, and compliance with treatment is often poor. In addition, the environment may be a contributing factor to poor control of symptoms. In developed countries, a number of environmental factors are known to initiate wheeze in young children, including allergens, endotoxin, and inhaled particulate matter (PM), but the effect of household practices on wheeze in young children has not been well-studied in India. To read the full article.
The effect of the indoor environment on wheeze- and sleep-related symptoms in young Indian children. Sastry J, Agawane S, Rajan M, Black K, Laumbach R, Ramagopal M. Lung India. Jul-Aug 2021;38(4):307-313. PMID: 34259167 PMCID: PMC8272434 DOI: 4103/lungindia.lungindia_120_20