You’re more likely to develop asthma if it’s in your close family, such as your parents or brothers and sisters. This is partly down to genetics and partly down to the shared environment you live and grow up in.
Your child is much more likely to develop asthma if either parent has the condition – particularly if both parents have asthma. There’s slightly more chance of asthma being passed on by the mother than the father.
But having someone with asthma in your close family doesn’t mean you or your child will definitely get it. And people can get asthma without anyone in their family having it.
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Advice + support
Monthly myth busting - Getting out of breath isn’t always bad for your lungs!
This month, we are busting the myth around breathlessness during physical activity being bad for your lungs.
Your stories
Losing Amy was heartbreaking and we don’t want this to happen to another family
Amy, 22, from Skelmersdale, tragically passed away from an asthma attack in October 2022. She was a mum to Bailey and Orla and fiancée of Keagan. This year, her younger brother, James and cousins Scarlett and Naomi will be running the London Marathon in her memory to raise vital funds for Asthma + Lung UK.
Your stories
I want the girls to see that something positive can come out of losing their dad
Suzy, 46, is running the London Marathon this year in memory of her husband, Mat. Together they have two daughters, Freya, 15 and Saffy, 12. Here Suzy tells us more about why she’s running for Asthma + Lung UK.