Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- An asthma medicine for children that was found to stunt growth a decade ago is back in the news. Did you know the hampered growth seems permanent?
The drug in question is called budesonide, and can be found in a handful of medicines including Pulmicort and Rhinocort. It's also so effective that scientists don't advise taking kids off it, despite the likely 1/2-inch reduction in height.
In some studies, doctors tried to reduce the height loss by cutting the 400-microgram dosage to just 200-micrograms, and children ended up just under half an inch shorter, so less budesonide may have some effect.
