Although maternal depression does not affect the incidence of asthma in offspring, it does have a significant impact on the treatment of a child with asthma - in a study published in the February issue of Pediatrics, mothers with depressive symptoms were significantly more likely than mothers without depressive symptoms to report that their child forgets doses of medication or has difficulty using the inhaler. These mothers also felt more anxious about their child's illness and had more doubts about treatment - they were significantly less able to control their child's symptoms and episodes of exacerbation.

a 6-month study of 177 mothers of children treated for asthma.