Today's article is the result of a trip to the pediatrician last week for my younger daughter, the "healthy" one with allergies and no asthma.

Well, guess what? It what is probably no surprise to those of you w/multiple asthmatic children, the drs. are suspecting for the first time that my little one may have asthma just like her big sister.

Read more, if you like:

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I am the only one in my family to have asthma and allergies, my parents and my brother are asthma and allergy free. but my great aunt had asthma. and my grandfather had asthma and allergies, I had 4 children only one has allergies, I have 4 grandchildren only 1 has allergies. look into your family medical history if you can. you may find relatives back when to have had asthma or allergies.

Yeah, we've looked, actually. There's no one with any sort of major lung problems in either family for a long way back--nothing diagnosed at least. I've been thinking for a year or two, though, that we possibly have relatives that had problems that were never called "asthma" b/c diagnosis wasn't as good back then.

Also, immune issues DO run in my mother's side of the family--stuff like arthritis and psoriasis. So the tendency for screwy immune systems is there, but I don't know if that has any effect.

Either way, I'm thankful that I don't have asthma--at least it makes me able to take care of my girls' issues.

We have family histories of allergies/asthma on both sides; but the heredity issues is still largely in question. Our pulmonologist doesn't bow completely to the heredity argument; but he feels that family history may leave one more prone to respond to certain triggers.

Children who have early respiratory infections (colds, etc. before 3 months of age), children who've had RSV, children living in certain types of climates, etc., etc.... There are so many things that could kick asthma into being... including hormonal changes later in life... ugh.

Both of my kiddos were a bit pre-destined I think. Besides the family history, both left the hospital with colds, and both had RSV.

Could the environment be causing problems, the air out there isn't all that great, causing more people to get respiratory problems.Who were never bothered by asthma before,

Hey,
my daughters recently been diagnosed with asthma but nobody else in my family has it so ive been trying to get as much info as i can as i know very little. I found this to be helpful adn thought id share it with some more moms, tho it sounds as if u know more than me-i guess u can never be too well informed though.

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There really are so many factors involved in asthma. Another mom once told me---don't know if there's any truth to this or not---that having a citrus allergy as a child puts you at a HUGE risk for adult onset-asthma. Not all food allergies, just citrus.

Rosie, I do think the poor air quality contributes to the problem. Ground-level ozone is particularly bad for lungs, and so many U.S. cities have problems with this. That's one reason the American Lung Association is one of my favorite organizations. That do good work for asthma AND air quality.