is Asthma Genetic? - Asthma Message Board

krissy1970 · 11-04-2005, 04:39 AM

I was born with Asthma and spent the first year of my life in and out of the hospital from severe asthma attacks...cleared up as a kid, but came back with a venegence as a adult, becoming very severe to the point of not being able to breathe without my herbal meds.

Now my son which is now 15 years old has had this cough for quite awhile now, nobody seems to know why he's got it and he says he is breathing fine. But I suspect this could be mild asthma...it's not a productive cough, it's just a cough. Is it possible he could have got asthma though genetics?

krissy

singer1 · 11-04-2005, 11:56 AM

yes, usually it is heriditary. I have had it for over 35 years and my Mother and sister have it and both of my kids have it but not as severely as I do. You can outgrow it but sometime you don't. It can also develop at any age in life to anyone who has never even had an allergy. Asthma usually stems from an allergy of some kind. Usually in infancy, it is caused by milk but most people don't link that together because all infants need milk. Have your son allergy tested and you will most likely find out the cause of the onset of Asthma.

It's not fun, it can be controlled, but it can be a full time job and many meds later that you find out the thing that will work to control it. I have learned that controlling my allergies, controls my asthma, but when I was controlling my Asthma, my allergies were still a problem. Good luck!!

krissy1970 · 11-05-2005, 07:11 PM

You know you are right about the milk issue, I couldn't drink anything but goats milk, cause I was allergic to everything else while I was a baby.

But I was also sensitive to the cold and the cold is what almost got me, we had to move to a warmer climate. I was 1 year old, the doctors gave my dad 24 hours to leave the state of maryland or the next attack I could have died, I kept turning blue like every other day. . so dad went and pack what he could and him my mom and family, drove nonstop to florida and surprize the doctor was right, I got better as soon as I got here. They said I was like a totally different baby, although I don't remember it, they told me it scared them.

well anyways thanks for the info, I will have him checked quickly

krissy

Med4Kicks · 11-05-2005, 09:53 PM

My grandma has asthma, but she now has it under great control. And I have asthma, havent really mastered it! But my dad doesnt have asthma, i guess it skipped a generation and maybe he was just a carrier and i was the lucky one that inherited it.

MandyPandy · 11-06-2005, 11:14 PM

Most definitely it is genetic. I'm not sure what makes one get it and not another but it is genetic. My great grandfathers brother died of asthma as did my uncle at age 17. I don't think anyone else in my family has it but it is there in the past. Your son should defintely be seen by a doc to determine if he does have it and if so what is triggering it.