Nov 13, 2013 3 min read

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Nine-year-old Lane Camden knows from experience that there are few things scarier than the feeling of not being able to breathe. So for him, the relief of knowing that he has medicine nearby to treat his symptoms when an asthma attack occurs is a true comfort.

The Chartiers-Houston fourth-grader was diagnosed with asthma at age 4 by Dr. David Nash, a specialist at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, who has treated him consistently since then. Lane’s mother Heather, a nurse by profession, said Lane’s asthma is triggered by his allergies and is often virus- or exercise-induced. When baseball season begins in early spring, then again when football season begins in August and September, and throughout the winter, she is watchful for symptoms of asthma to appear since the weather conditions combined with his increased activity level make it more likely that his asthma might be triggered.

Once asthma symptoms appear, Lane begins a regimen of albuterol, a bronchodilator medication that is part of the corticosteroid family, used to reduce inflammation in the airway. When the use of the albuterol inhaler does not relieve the shortness of breath and tightness in his chest after several attempts, a nebulizer with albuterol is used instead. Lane, too, is familiar with the way he feels when an asthma attack occurs and knows when to seek the help of his medicine.

A variety of studies have been done on the effects that inhaled corticosteroids can have on the short-term growth patterns of children who are prescribed the medications.

A recent article published in the September edition of Allergy and Asthma Proceedings by Dr. David P. Skoner, director of the Division of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology at Allegheny General Hospital, states that due to inconsistent research, more studies are needed on the issue to provide more concrete information.

Dr. Sergei Belenky, a Pittsburgh allergist/immunologist who treats both children and adults agrees that a larger study is necessary, but regardless of the findings, feels strongly that corticosteroids have been crucial for asthma patients.

“With the use of oral steroids, the side effects were much more burdensome. Corticosteroids are paramount for the treatment of persistent asthmas. We don’t have anything else comparable,” said Belenky. “Asthma can be serious and severe and despite all the studies, it is still a deadly disease that if left untreated, and can lead to chronic, persistent asthma.”

In his article Stoner states, “there are currently nine million children in the United States that suffer from asthma, and the numbers are growing … Parents and children who rely on inhaled corticosteroids to treat asthma symptoms want and deserve solid information, based on well-designed research on whether these medications will affect a child’s long-term growth.”

Heather Camden has also heard of the studies, but is not especially concerned with Lane’s growth rate, especially since he is currently above average in height in comparison to other boys his age.

“Since Lane doesn’t require daily medication for his asthma, the medical benefits of using it during an attack outweighs the risks associated with it,” she said.

“There is nothing scarier for him than not being able to breathe, and we are happy to have something available to help him through that.”