Babies exposed to common household cleaning products at an early age are likely to develop childhood asthma and wheeze by the time they're three years old, according to a new study.
The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal today .
Researchers found a link between children aged three to four months old and their exposure to household cleaning products, and the development of asthma at age three.
It was most commonly linked to hand dishwashing soap, dishwasher detergent, multi-surface cleaners, glass cleaners and laundry soap.
The researchers say scented and sprayed cleaning products were associated with the highest risk of respiratory issues.
Lead research professor Tim Takaro says previous studies examining the link between asthma and cleaning products would look at adults.
"Our study looked at infants, who typically spend 80 per cent to 90 per cent of their time indoors and are especially vulnerable to chemical exposures through the lungs and skin due to their higher respiration rates and regular contact with household surfaces."
It outlines how a combination inhaler can more than halve the risk of severe asthma attacks.
Kiwi researcher Dr Olivier Gasser, who was not involved in the study, says the research supports previous studies linking respiratory allergies to environmental factors.
"While this study contributes to the overall understanding in this particular field of research, and may initiate important behavioral changes in parents, it highlights the need for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms which cause these respiratory illnesses," he says.
He pointed to the study's observance that it's not just babies breathing in the cleaning products, but also when they come in contact with their skin, that's linked to asthma.
"The skin is known to communicate with the lung and is oftentimes the initial site of allergic sensitisation in humans," he says.
Around one in seven New Zealand children are treated for asthma, according to the Ministry of Health.
It's twice as common in boys as girls, but most children grow out of it by the time they reach adulthood.
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