Basic Information: Asthma in Children

Medical Video: Asthma in Children - Symptoms and Treatments

Asthma is a chronic condition in which the airways to your lungs become inflamed. This inflammation will make breathing difficult and painful. Child's asthma can potentially be a serious condition because the children's respiratory tract is smaller than an adult's.

Child's asthma can be treated effectively with medication quickly to cure the symptoms. Long-term care can help your child live a normal and active life.

What causes childhood asthma?

Many variations of factors are involved in childhood asthma. According to the Mayo Clinic, some children can have genetic factors that result in contracting this disease, (Mayo Clinic). This means that they have the seeds and tendency for asthma or inflammation in general. A sensitive immune system can also increase the chances of a child contracting asthma.

Environmental factors can produce asthma symptoms in some children. Pollution of air, dust and cigarette smoke can irritate the airways and cause inflammation.

Allergies and respiratory diseases can also cause asthma symptoms in some children. Pet hair, mites and pollen are allergens that are around us and can trigger asthma. Cold air, flu, bronchitis, and pneumonia are viruses and infections that affect the lungs. This disease can make you get an asthma attack if you have a tendency to contract asthma.

Extreme cold or hot air can also trigger asthma symptoms. Sometimes, childhood asthma appears without reason or trigger.

Symptoms of childhood asthma

Breathing becomes difficult when the child's airways swell or become dense. Difficulty breathing is called an asthma attack.

Symptoms of respiratory problems and discomfort can include:

Continuous cough
Make a sound while breathing, such as wheezing, stridor (strange sounds, high pitched), or whistling
Feeling bound or strong pressure around the chest
Chest pain
Short breath
Fatigue

Children and adolescents with asthma usually recover longer than respiratory infections, such as bronchitis and flu. Delayed healing is caused by chronic inflammation in the lungs. Asthma symptoms can be more severe during illness, and attacks can become more frequent.

Each child is different, and symptoms can vary even in different asthma attacks. Give your child immediate treatment if he shows symptoms of severe asthma, such as:

The nostrils expand when breathing
Cannot speak fully
Sweating for no reason
Heart rate increases

Diagnose asthma in children

Diagnosing asthma can be very difficult, especially in very young children. Your pediatrician will do a physical examination to find out health conditions that might indicate the presence of asthma symptoms. Increased acid, sinus infections, and a wet nose can cause wheezing and breathing problems that may be symptoms of asthma.

Children over 5 years can usually participate in lung function examinations. This examination is one of the primary diagnostics used to find out whether the child has asthma. During the examination, your child will be asked to sigh as hard as possible on a device called a spirometer. The Spirometer will measure the response time and air volume. In other words, your doctor will check how much air your child can release and how fast. This measurement helps determine the capacity and function of the lungs.

Diagnosing asthma in infants and toddlers requires special attention. Your child's disease doctor will hear the sound on your child's chest whether there is a sound like wheezing or other abnormal sounds coming from the lungs. Your child's growth pattern will also be considered to help confirm the diagnosis of asthma. Babies and toddlers who have problems will usually show it over time, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Care and treatment of childhood asthma

Parents, children and doctors must work together to make a plan for treating asthma. Often, allergists also work with families to make this plan.

Part of planning depends on knowing the causes of asthma symptoms in your child. There may be one or more factors, such as allergies or genetics. Avoiding allergens can be a very good action in dealing with your child's asthma symptoms.

Treatment taken in the long term to overcome and prevent asthma attacks aims as a control measure or commonly called "controllers" The treatment controller is designed to minimize inflammation in the respiratory tract in the long run. Controller treatment can be performed orally or from using a tool called an inhaler. Long-term asthma medications include corticosteroids, long-acting beta agonists, and leukotriene modifiers. Your child's inhaler can contain one or more combinations of these drugs.

Emergency treatment can be used when an asthma attack occurs. Emergency inhalers provide a scent that will work from within and reach the respiratory tract quickly and relieve inflammation. Corticosteroids and short-acting beta agonists are the most commonly prescribed for the treatment of asthma.

Your pediatrician or allergist may also provide allergic treatment in addition to the treatment of asthma. Treatment of oral allergies or allergy shots can help reduce the tendency to experience an asthma attack.

Young children can depend on their parents to help with asthma treatment and to determine when to use an emergency inhaler. Older children are usually more alert if they suddenly experience an asthma attack they can treat themselves.

Conclusions about childhood asthma

Asthma in children can be controlled effectively with treatment and treatment plans. Children who have asthma are expected to move and participate in activities that are appropriate for their age. Your health care provider or group can help you get past anxiety in dealing with your child's asthma. Over time, you will learn how to overcome and prevent attacks, and how to encourage your child to stay up and active every day.

Basic Information: Asthma in Children

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