or those with no asthma symptoms at all -- in a measurement of their task orientation, such as their level of concentration, and in a measurement of their shy/anxious behavior, the report indicates. The reason for the association between persistent asthma symptoms and worse behavior is unclear. "The stress related to having asthma might contribute to behavioral problems because the family's focus on the medical issue may make managing behavior more difficult," according to Halterman. "On the other hand," she speculated, "behavior problems may make managing asthma symptoms more difficult." It's also unclear whether the persistent asthma symptoms preceded or followed the children's worsened behavior. Regardless of which comes first, Halterman advises parents and teachers of children with asthma to "watch for problems in their child's behavior." "Sure, kids are going to get into little tiffs once in a while, but if behavior problems become commonplace, parents should set appropriate limits and possibly ask for help from school counselors, teachers or their pediatrician," she told Reuters Health. --SP 22 53 Local Time 19 53 GMT
