The season of a baby's birth may help predict that child's risk of asthma, new research suggests. Babies born in autumn -- about four months before the peak of winter virus season -- have almost a 30 percent increased risk of asthma compared to babies born at other times of the year, reports a study in the first December issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Too many patients aren't getting a key lung test, experts say. Almost one in three adults who've been told they have asthma may not have the chronic airway disease, new Canadian research claims.

Trees, parks get inner city kids moving, study finds. Greener neighborhoods, with lots of trees, help inner city kids keep excess pounds at bay, according to a U.S. study.

Experts point out such a breed doesn't exist since allergens are also in canine skin. President-elect Barack Obama has inspired throngs around the world to say, "Yes, we can." But when it comes to finding a hypoallergenic dog for the White House, allergists are saying, "No, you can't."

March of Dimes says 18 states plus Puerto Rico and District of Columbia get failing grades. When it comes to premature birth rates, the United States rates a "D," and 18 states plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia get failing grades.

Allergists say poor access, distrust of docs behind inequalities in treatment. Poor access to appropriate care and distrust of doctors are among the issues posing barriers to good asthma management, leading experts say.

Researchers found poor children had heightened immune-system gene activity. Lack of money may literally alter genes related to asthma, according to Canadian researchers.

New types better for environment, but will require some adjustment, experts say. Change is coming to the lifesaving asthma medications known as "rescue" inhalers.

Obesity and its complications driving the trend, researchers say. Medication use among children across the United States is dramatically increasing as more kids are being treated for diabetes, asthma and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), researchers report.

Symptoms eased faster when it was added to antibiotic therapy, study found. Virgin coconut oil, added to antibiotic therapy, may help relieve the symptoms of community-acquired pneumonia in kids faster than antibiotic therapy alone, a new study finds.

Some general suggestions Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs, and can be caused by bacteria or a virus. Pneumonia can range from mild to severe, and treatment should vary accordingly, depending on a person's age and overall health.

One-third lower mortality for hospitalized patients, study found. The death rate among people hospitalized for pneumonia was one-third lower for those taking statins than for those not taking the cholesterol-lowering drugs, a Danish study found.

Using cooking appliances as heat source a hallmark of urban poverty, study notes. High levels of nitrogen dioxide emissions from gas stoves can aggravate asthma symptoms in inner-city children, especially pre-schoolers, a new study says.

Reactions lead to higher risk for asthma, other respiratory problems, CDC report says. The number of American kids with food allergies has soared 18 percent in the last decade, with an estimated 4 percent of children and teens now affected with the condition, a new federal report says.

Suggestions to minimize symptoms When the air you breathe is polluted, it can cause symptoms such as labored breathing; irritated eyes, nose and throat; burning of the eyes; cough; and tightness in the chest.

The combination nearly tripled the risk for children under 4, study found. Certain genetic variations previously identified as putting people at higher risk for asthma apparently only increase the risk of so-called early-onset asthma, which is disease that appears at 4 years of age or younger.

50% reduction in risk seen 2 years later in Canadian study. Being vaccinated against pneumonia halves the risk of having a heart attack two years later, a new Canadian study finds.

Key is to control symptoms, avoid attacks Having asthma doesn't necessarily mean an unhealthy pregnancy. The key is to control symptoms and prevent attacks.

Inhaled steroids were 40% less effective than they were in lean patients, study finds. The inhaled steroids that are often used to treat asthma don't work as well in the overweight or obese, new research shows.

But study can't say whether germs cause condition or just identify those who may get it. Young children who wheeze when they have rhinovirus infection -- the most common cause of colds -- are at much greater risk of developing asthma later during childhood, a new study says.

Doctors will have to weigh benefits, risks for meds like Spiriva, Atrovent, experts say. Common drugs prescribed for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems, researchers report.

Study says the finding could help many children with the breathing condition. Croup is typically recognized by a loud cough that often sounds like the barking of a seal. The condition can cause fast or difficult breathing, and sometimes wheezing. Croup has been thought to be caused by a virus, but upper airway problems have also been suggested as a possible trigger.

Drug should only be used to treat high fevers in children, experts say. Children given acetaminophen during the first year of life to reduce fever are more likely to develop asthma later on, a new study finds.

Supplement use may be behind doubling of respiratory disease in last 25 years, study suggests. Increasing use of folic acid and other dietary supplements by women may be one reason why the prevalence of asthma has nearly doubled in the past 25 years, U.S. researchers are suggesting.

Finding backs 'hygiene hypothesis' that early exposure to germs confers protective effect. Children who attended a daycare center as infants are 35 percent less likely than their peers to have asthma symptoms by age 5, according to new research.

Current labels can be confusing, experts say. Responding to concerns that food labels aren't doing enough to alert consumers to the presence of allergens, or that the labels are just plain confusing, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is hosting a public hearing Tuesday on what it can do to improve things.

Sulphoraphane boosts lungs' antioxidant activity, researchers explain. People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could one day benefit from an antioxidant compound in broccoli, researchers report.

7 years later, a 'natural recovery' is taking place, experts say.  New Yorkers may be starting to heal psychologically -- as much as it is possible to heal at all -- from the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001, experts now say.

Two to three years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, psychological trauma and new respiratory problems were still elevated among people enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry, according to the latest New York City health department study.

Same mechanism that controls one affects the other, study finds. The more an athlete sweats, the lower the risk of exercise-induced asthma, a new study suggests.

Most can be controlled, but you need to know what triggers them, experts say. If you are one of the 36 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies, there is nowhere in the United States that is free from pollen and other allergens this fall, a new report shows.

Sufferers more likely to be hospitalized, have lower quality of life, study finds. New research shows that obese people who have asthma are nearly five times more likely to be hospitalized for the problem and to have lower quality of life and worse control of the disease than those with asthma who are normal weight.

Suggestions to prevent attacks While some people are more likely to have asthma, the things that actually "trigger" attacks vary from person to person. In general, there are things asthmatics can do to ward off attacks. The National Safety Council offers these suggestions

Found in cigarette smoke, fertilizers, even low levels of the metal can double risk. The metal cadmium plays a major role in causing emphysema, and even low-level exposure through secondhand smoke and other sources can increase the risk of lung disease, a new study says.

Since almost 11% of school-age kids have the disease, parents should take precautions. With the start of school here, the American Lung Association is advising parents of children with asthma to follow a simple checklist to ensure this sometimes debilitating disease doesn't hinder their child's academic year.

Antimicrobial properties blocked bacteria formation, delayed onset of lung inflammation. The use of silver-coated endotracheal tubes reduced the risk of pneumonia among intensive-care patients on ventilators, a U.S. study found.

By puberty, condition may be passing phase in boys, but more permanent in girls, study says.  Boys may be more likely to have childhood asthma than girls, but they are also more likely to grow out of it, a new study says.

Number tripled, and they find a link to other conditions such as asthma, diabetes. Researchers have identified 21 new genetic regions implicated in Crohn's disease, bringing to 32 the total number of genes and loci -- regions of the genome typically including one or more genes that are known to increase susceptibility to the disease.

Everything from Christmas trees to fake snow can trigger symptoms, experts warn, It's easy for the holidays to become the season of sneezing, congestion and other woes for people with food or other allergies and asthma, say experts at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).

Condition arises even in those with no asthma history, study finds, One out of three college athletes have what's known as exercise-induced asthma, even though they may have no prior history of the illness, a new study shows.

Flu vaccine may not protect older people from pneumonia once they get the disease, researchers report. Older, frail adults are more susceptible to getting the flu, even if they have been vaccinated, and once getting the flu, they are more susceptible to such complications as pneumonia.

Use of certain cleaning products reduces lung function, increases asthma risk, studies find. A clean, fresh-smelling home may actually be bad for your health, depending on what type of cleaning and air freshening products you use.

Study finds fluid back-up in esophagus can cause immune system changes. The first evidence linking gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and asthma has been discovered by Duke University Medical Center researchers.

A stomach bacterium called Helicobacter pylori may reduce a child's risk of developing asthma by as much as 50 percent, a new study suggests. H. pylori has been present in the human stomach probably since humans were humans. However, the germ began disappearing over the course of the 20th century with the introduction of antibiotics and cleaner water and homes.

Daily consumption while expecting ups odds of asthmatic offspring, study suggests.  If you've got a strong family history of food allergies or allergic asthma, you might want to think twice before munching a handful of nuts when you're pregnant.

Creating a clean environment will help rid your home of dust mites, making breathing easier in people with allergies and asthma. Try these suggestions for getting rid of the microscopic insects from your home, courtesy of the American Lung Association