Asthma linked to memory problems in children - study

Children who have asthma can suffer memory problems, according to research in the United States that is the first to link the two conditions.

- Denis Campbell

The research also found that the earlier a child develops asthma, the bigger the damage to their memory. The findings highlight the need to view asthma as a "potential source of cognitive difficulty in children", the study's lead author said.

The breathing condition appears to affect children's episodic memory - their capacity to remember the specifics of everyday events, such as who was present and how the person felt. Children with asthma did worse on tests of their episodic memory than those who did not have it.