Budesonide, a drug that is very effective at keeping serious asthma at bay for users, may have an unintended side effect on children. According to researchers, the inhaled drug can stunt their growth. The “good news” is that the drug won’t worsen stunting over time, and that doctors can work with the parents of users to decrease the usage and lessen the effects of budesonide.
Because budesonide, marketed under many brand names, is so effective, researchers do not recommend taking children off it. A study done over ten years ago showed the drug was safe, except that users were half an inch shorter than those who were taking another kind of asthma medication. Previous studies also showed the stunting to be temporary. However, the new study shows that the stunted growth may be permanent.
The original study involved children from the ages of five to 12 who received either budesonide, nedocromil, or a placebo. After tracking nearly 950 of them to adulthood, it was found that those who took budesonide were still an average of a half inch shorter than normal.
Doctors have found that the dosage of budesonide can be cut in half from 400 micrograms and still control asthma. However, the problem of stunted growth remains. The solution seems to be to balance the lowered height with inhaled cortisoids. Minimizing concerns about the effects on height seems to be all that can be done now.
Still, what’s a height of five-feet-nine-and-a-half versus five-foot-ten when serious asthma is kept in check?
If you or a loved one has suffered serious side effects from taking a drug, please contact an experienced defective drug attorney in your area today.