Data suggest severe pediatric asthma cases dropping massively as a result of pandemic

[rvallee]

No idea where to put this otherwise as it's a direct consequence of the pandemic and this is preliminary data, but what it suggests is too massive to ignore, especially as it challenges long-held dogma.

 

[Invisible Woman]

Please forgive my ignorance but what does BOPIC stand for - as in "BIPOC children" in the 3rd tweet.

 

[DokaGirl]

A predicted outcome from the pandemic and lockdowns was less air pollution. It's known that breathing problems are caused/exacerbated by living near busy roads.

So, has medicine/science harbored another refrigerator mother scenario? Mom isn't cleaning the house enough, so the dust has caused Junior's asthma. Blame the family and home life for all the ills.

Having lived with the rules and regimen of allergy/asthma controls for decades, I find this very interesting. I think some of the old wisdom is sound though.

What still has to be more thoroughly acknowledged by medicine in general is the fact that air pollution does take a toll. And, that outside air quality can really affect breathing.

ETA: I know this last bit from experience, as when I discuss outdoor pollution as a factor in asthma, due to industrial activity, it is dismissed or downplayed.

 

[Arnie Pye]

Please forgive my ignorance but what does BOPIC stand for - as in "BIPOC children" in the 3rd tweet.

BIPOC = Black, Indigenous, (and) People of Colour is one possibility I found.

 

[Hutan]

As the twitter thread suggests, another outcome of less social contact was less colds and flus. I had fairly bad childhood asthma, and specific allergies would trigger it. But most of the times when I had serious attacks, respiratory infections were involved.

I remember times pre-Covid-19 when everyone coming off the plane would be screened for fevers with thermal imaging cameras - I've no idea how effective that was. But, with Covid-19, we've certainly seen how effective border control can be at preventing pathogens spreading. Something quick like that thermal screening could be a very good thing to have at borders permanently, coupled with a quarantine system. Although the human immune system might need some challenges, I'm sure we are exposed to a lot more pathogens these days with the frequency of international and domestic travel and a non-convalescing culture.

 

[DokaGirl]

Indeed, less social contact = less flu and colds, less asthma flares.

The Pandemic will provide research opportunities for decades.

 

[Mithriel]

There was a study done looking at pollution as a cause of childhood asthma. In another stunning divergence from good research methodology they looked at children from urban environments and from rural areas and found no difference. They assumed that rural children were faced with less pollution but relatives who live in a rural area have to take their children everywhere by car. Going to school, going to the sports field, going to the park, everything.

During lockdown no one went anywhere so much less travel by car and bus.