Nation IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D. C. : Drugs May Worsen Childhood Diseases

Patients taking certain prescribed steroid drugs may run an abnormal risk of severe, perhaps fatal infection if they are exposed to chicken pox or measles, the Food and Drug Administration warned. The FDA told makers of drugs to notify doctors of the potential complications within 90 days by adding warnings to labels on all forms of the medications. Corticosteroids are commonly prescribed for children with chronic conditions such as asthma, allergies and juvenile arthritis. One side effect is that it can suppress the immune system when used in low doses over a long period of time or in larger doses for varying durations, the FDA said.