Asthma, I'm terribly sorry about your child being afflicted with this awful disease, but let's not jump to conclusions about the causes.
The number one cause of Asthma is genetics. Yes, asthma tends to run in families and many people with asthma also have other allergic contisions such as shinitis (inflammation of the nose lining).
Some environmental factors also may trigger the disease, or "kick start" it in small bebies by affecting the immune system in early life. These include, living in warm, well-furnished, carpeted homes that don't allow much airflow. Yes, that's right, I said living in well enclosed structures. These provide a great breeding ground for large numbers of house dust mites in bedding, carpets and furnishings. Many children spend too much time playing indoors, rather than outdoors. This further increases the dust mite sensitisation. Exposure to tobacco smoke whether during the mother's pregnancy or in early childhood predisposes children to developing asthma and can make the symptoms more severe. Children also become sensitised to animals, pollens, molds and dust.
Changes in diet can also trigger asthma. High proportions of processed foods, higher salt intakes, a lower antioxidant intake and a lack of fresh fish (lower intake omega-3 fatty acids).
Lack of Excercise: Spending more time in front of the television means children get far less exercise, causing less stretching of the airways and a greater tendency for the muscle in the airway walls to contract abnormally when exposed to minor irritants.
And the final possible causes, listed lastly because it is not as common...occupational exposure. This includes things like breathing car exhaust, chemicals, gases, etc.
So, although your child suffers from this, don't go jumping on the environmental over reactionists bandwagon just yet. Take a look at the other things you are doing as well as your family history first.
And maybe, just maybe, you will find that there are more cases of asthma in Santo Domingo primarily because there are just more people there!
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