The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners

The Children's Learning Study followed 298 five-year-olds at eight Christchurch schools between 2005 and 2008. The study found that children who started school with asthma – 18.5 per cent – were significantly more likely to be in the lowest 25 per cent in reading at the end of their first year.

The children were not at a lower level at school entrance, but after a year were more likely to have fallen six months or more behind those without the condition in reading. The low achievement was independent of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, ability level, absence, asthma severity and behaviour problems.

The lead researcher, Canterbury University associate professor Kathleen Liberty, said the results were "extremely concerning”. "Our concern is with the children who are struggling and if we can find out what it is about the asthma that's affecting their ability to learn in the first year of school," she said. – The Press