Research from Otago University proves that leaking and mouldy homes may lead to the development of a first attack of asthma in young children living in them.
The major study investigated the homes of 150 children who had visited their GPs for their first prescribed asthma medication and compared them to the homes of 300 matched children who'd never wheezed.
It found that mould and leaks were more likely to be found in the homes of children who just started wheezing compared to the children who'd never wheezed.