A year ago, after a cold, a 3-year old child started to cough and was
diagnosed with bronchial spasms, a condition similar to asthma.

A year of medicine did not cure her condition. I submitted to Google a
search request for "climate favorable to asthma" and was hoping to
find recommendations for places which can help a patient with asthma.
I would prefer these places to be in the United States.

The search found some references to medical treatments but I did not
find any recommendations for places with a suitable climate that might
help with the child’s condition.

I am interested in obtaining recommendations (hopefully with some
support) dealing with the described situation

Thank you very much.

matreat,

Foremost, I want to remind you that this answer in no way substitutes
for sound medical advice. The answer is intended only as supplemental
information, for your consideration. As a parent of an asthmatic, you
surely already have the needed information on care and treatment of
this child's asthma...That said I am focusing almost entirely on the
geographical aspect of your question.

Has the child been cultured for organisms that cause asthma-like
symptoms? Has the child been worked up for allergies via skin and/or
blood testing,and had a chest x-ray? Are there pets, tobacco smoke,
potted plants, or mildew and molds in the home or other frequently
visited locations? There are many things to consider here; is the
child under the supervision of a reputable allergist? Has the child
been properly diagnosed? Are there environmental allergens? All these
need to be  answered in order to decide on a move to a new location.

As the following site explains, there is no one ideal location for all
asthmatics. What is a good location for some, may not help others. It
all depends on which allergens trigger the asthma attacks.

   http://health.yahoo.com/centers/asthma_allergy/7.html

 For people who have asthma triggered by molds and mites - the hot,
dry climate of the Southwest may be the better location, but not
necessarily. Other things to consider are; If the asthmatic has
multiple allergens, there is a high level of other, often seasonal
allergens in the dry Southwest, such as pollens, dust and air
pollution to consider. Also, evaporative coolers are used in some
homes, which can encourage the growth of mold spores. (Evaporative
coolers are little used however in newer homes, and are not
necessary). The Northeastern area of the US is know for it's molds and
mildews, as well as cold-triggered asthma. Yet, TODAY, that area has
the best air quality, per the EPA. Each area has it's pros and cons.
The above site also repeats the warning of moving to "cure" asthma, as
you may trade one allergen for another.

As far as moving to a new location, the following site suggests you
visit the prospective geographical location for a period of weeks,
during the most allergenic season, and see how the asthmatic reacts.
Please discuss this with your allergist and be sure to take along any
and all medications with you, as well as the name and number of a
local allergist (preferably recommended by your current allergist).
Keep in mind, there may be no reaction during the visit, but symptoms
could reappear a year or two later, once the asthmatic becomes
sensitized to local allergens.
    http://www.aaaai.org/nab/faq.stm


Also covering the "move or not move" topic, this site has a brief
article by  Alan Szeftel, M.D.
 
   http://www.focusonasthma.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=18535&rd=1

(  http://www.focusonasthma.com/script/main/art.asp?li=MNI&articlekey=12189
 ) This link from the above site lists Dr. Szeftel's credentials.


This site from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) depicts a table
of  reported asthma incidence by state (1998). Upon examining this
table, you can see the incidence of asthma by geographical location is
similar!  Nevada had the highest, with 7.2%, and West Virginia,
Florida and Oklahoma tying with 5.8% .
  
   http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00055803.htm#00003593.htm



This site gives the pollen and spore count across US and is updated
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Simply click on the region you are
curious about, to see the report. You could compare the area where you
currently live to the area you may consider moving to, and see if
there is a significant difference.

   http://www.aaaai.org/nab/western.stm


This site does not discuss the relationship of asthma to geographical
location, but it has a wealth of information on asthma/allergy
triggers and other considerations, especially ozone and pollution
levels of regional US.
   
   http://aspe.hhs.gov/sp/asthma/appxd.pdf



Visit this site to compare ozone levels and air quality by region

   http://www.epa.gov/airnow/

I urge you once more to please discuss this information with your
allergist, as I wish nothing more than the best available treatment
for  your 3 year old child!

Hoping the above information helps you make an informed decision in
your consideration of a relocation- crabcakes-ga



 Have you discussed this with your doctor and/or allergist?