However, previous studies on sphingolipid metabolism in early life suggest that reduced ceramides and sphingomyelins due to increased expression of the stomatocyte‐like 3 (ORMDL3) gene, which inhibits serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT), is associated with a higher risk of wheezing and early onset asthma before the age of 3 years.22, 26. The gene discussed is ORMDL3; the disease is asthma.