A research study from Finland released in the first week of October revealed that babies given asthma steroids may lose a few inches in height during their growing years.

The study found out that more than 10,000 babies in Finland, who were given inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) for a long duration, are notably shorter than their counterparts.

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Earlier studies on the effects of asthma steroids had confirmed the possibility of this side-effect.

The recent study has split the medical community. Some are advising parents to give asthma steroids to preschoolers only when there is no other way. The group Asthma UK, however, says that asthma medications actually help infants cope with their health problem.

In the United Kingdom alone, almost ten percent of all children are suffering from asthma. Most of them including the adults, are heavily reliant on ICS. It has also been acknowledged that asthma steroids has caused some unintended side-effects to a number of users.

UK doctors have been instructed to check the weight as well as height of young children using medications for asthma to make sure that they are not suffering from height deficiency.

Eastern Finland University and research head Doctor Antti Saari said their data has shown that in the worse case scenarios, affected toddlers can lose as much as 3 centimeter in height by the time they grow to adulthood.

Saari believes that medical doctors should seriously consider all factors before giving ICS to infants.

Queen Mary University professor Jonathan Grigg admits that treating infants, who exhibit asthma symptoms, is difficult at best. A large percentage of them eventually recover from asthma and no longer require long term treatment.

Asthma UK spokesperson Doctor Samantha Walker acknowledged the study, but said that taking ICS is still the best way to help children who suffer from asthma even if it means losing a few centimeters in height.

The research study was presented in the recently concluded European Society Pediatric Endocrinology Summit in the city of Barcelona in Spain. The participants of the study were young children ranging from infants to those about three-year-old.

Tagsasthma steroids, asthma symptoms, asthma inhaler, asthma medications, asthma UK, inhaled corticosteroids, ICS, antti saari, asthma on children