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Left‐handedness in asthmatic children
Author(s) -
Krommydas Georgios,
Gourgoulianis Konstantinos I.,
Andreou Georgia,
Molyvdas PaschalisAdam
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
pediatric allergy and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.269
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1399-3038
pISSN - 0905-6157
DOI - 10.1034/j.1399-3038.2003.00013.x
Subject(s) - medicine , asthma , laterality , allergy , pediatrics , association (psychology) , immunology , audiology , psychology , psychotherapist
Left‐handedness has been associated with asthma and allergic disorders. The Geschwind–Behan–Galaburda (GBG) hypothesis could explain this association. In view of previous findings, we investigated the distribution of laterality scores among asthmatic children and controls aged 4–8 years old. Seventy families with asthmatic children were administered the International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire and the Edinburgh Left‐handedness Inventory. A sample of 70 families with non‐asthmatic, healthy children was used as controls. The majority of children had mild asthma. Ambidexterity was the main feature in the asthmatic children. A statistically significant difference in the laterality quotient (LQ) distribution was found in the group of asthmatic children with allergic rhinitis (LQ mean value in the asthmatic children with allergic rhinitis: 42.85 vs. 79.50 in the rest of the asthmatic children). These results suggest that there is a tendency towards left‐handedness in asthmatic children and lend support to the GBG hypothesis.