Is your baby expected during a high pollen and mold season?  Then there may be a chance he or she might develop wheezing by the age of two.  Unfortunately, wheezing is an early symptom of asthma.

A recent study published by the Thorax journal has reported that children born in the winter months, typically between fall and winter, have three times a greater chance of developing asthma later in life than those born in the summer.

During this study, pollen, spore and mold counts were tracked daily while each participating baby was monitored for wheezing.  Factors were taken in to effect such as second-hand smoke exposure, mold in the home, signs of cockroaches and other potential wheezing triggers.

The most significant association found in this study was from two particular fungal spores (basidiospores and ascospores) which are found on mushrooms, molds and rusts from plants.  Pollen from pine, cypress and alder trees caused greater wheezing than from elm, mulberry and oak trees.

Of course the wheezing seen in children from this study may be due to a combination of pollen and mold exposure along with early respiratory viruses.  But this study revealed an important factor that may influence early asthma development in children in conjunction with family history and other asthma triggers.

Nasal steroids are used to reduce inflammation in the nasal cavity that is a result of allergies.  As the inflammation in the nose is relieved, allergy symptoms such as sneezing, congestion and a runny nose are usually reduced.

Nasal steroids do not cause the same type of reaction in your body as anabolic steroids do.  Rather, the nasal steroid is similar to the body’s natural hormones that are known to reduce inflammation and influence metabolism.

The best known nasal steroids on the market are Nasonex, Flonase and Rhinocort.  These are usually taken as 1 to 2 sprays per nostril once or twice a day. It can take up to two weeks to see results, although some patients begin to feel relief within a day of using nasal steroids.