Abstract
Purpose: To study associations between parental health and children’s asthma, rhinitis and eczema.Methods: Parents of 3-6 years old children from randomized kindergartens in Chongqing, China answered a questionnaire on parents’ history of asthma/allergies, current symptoms and children’ doctor-diagnosed asthma and rhinitis, wheeze, cough, rhinitis and eczema. Associations were analyzed by multiple logistic regression.Results: Among 4250 children (response rate: 74.5%), 8.4% had doctor-diagnosed asthma (DD asthma); 6.2% doctor-diagnosed allergic rhinitis (DD rhinitis); 20.4% current wheeze; 19.4% cough; 37.9% rhinitis and 13.6% eczema. Among reporting parents (females 70.4%, males 20.6% ), 16.2% were smokers; 47.4% had any current rhinitis; 54.2% cough; 47.8% skin symptoms; 70.5% fatigue and 48.7% headache.Parental asthma or allergy was associated with children’s DD asthma (OR=3.64) and DD rhinitis (OR=4.23). The associations were stronger for paternal asthma or allergy. Children of mothers who were salespersons during pregnancy had more rhinitis (OR=1.49), and children of white-collar worker mothers had more DD (OR=1.49) and DD rhinitis (OR=1.92). Rural children had less DD rhinitis and current rhinitis. Parental current symptoms were associated with wheeze, cough, rhinitis and eczema among the children with OR ranging from 1.37 to 2.28 (all p<0.001).Conclusions: Parental asthma or allergy can be a risk factor for children’s asthma or allergy, especially paternal asthma or allergy. Growing up in rural areas can be beneficial for rhinitis. Mothers’ occupations during pregnancy may influence asthma and rhinitis in offspring. In studies on children’s asthma or allergies, based on parental reporting, parents’ current symptoms may influence the results.
Highlights
Children’s asthma and allergies has increased globally (Chen, 2003; Asher et al, 2006)
Children of mothers who were salespersons during pregnancy had more rhinitis (OR=1.49), children of teachers had more DD rhinitis (OR=2.09) and cough (OR=1.66), children of office workers had more DD rhinitis (OR=2.04) and children of mothers working in hospitals had more DD asthma (OR=2.47)
Another study from Denmark found that maternal occupational exposure to low molecular weight compounds (LMW) known to cause occupational asthma during pregnancy was associated with a borderline significantly increase of asthma in 7-year-old children (Christensen et al, 2013)
Summary
Children’s asthma and allergies has increased globally (Chen, 2003; Asher et al, 2006). A recent review concluded that the mothers’ occupational exposure to airborne chemicals during pregnancy can influence asthma, allergy and eczema in the offspring (McFadden et al, 2013). One study from United Kingdom found that maternal occupational exposure to latex and/or biocides increase the risk of childhood asthma (Tagiyeva et al, 2010). One study from Taiwan found that children of mothers who worked during pregnancy had an increased risk of atopic dermatitis as compared to mothers who did not work, especially if the mother had a professional or technical occupation (Wang et al, 2013). Among the 16 studies, only three had investigated effects of occupational stress Two of these studies found associations between mothers’ job strain during pregnancy and atopic disorders in the children (Larsen et al, 2014; Wang et al, 2013)
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