Contents:
- Medical Video: Many Children With Asthma Use Their Inhalers Incorrectly, Leading To Serious Complications
- Effective and safe choice of pediatric asthma medication
- 1. Bronchodilator
- 2. Long-term asthma medication
Medical Video: Many Children With Asthma Use Their Inhalers Incorrectly, Leading To Serious Complications
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disorder that is common in children. Although asthma cannot be cured, you can help control it by choosing the right child asthma medication. Come on, check the list of asthma medications that are safe for your child below.
Effective and safe choice of pediatric asthma medication
Giving asthma medication depends on age, weight, and how severe asthma experienced by children. There are two types of pediatric asthma medications that are classified as safe and effective in relieving symptoms, namely:
1. Bronchodilator
Asthma symptoms in children who come and go can improve if given bronchodilator medication. Bronchodilators are a type of drug that functions to open the bronchial duct (the channel leading to the lungs) so that the child can breathe more freely.
Bronchodilators are often referred to as short-term pediatric asthma medications. This means that this drug is given as a first aid when a child's asthma recurs at any time.
Examples of bronchodilator drugs include albuterol and levalbuterol. These drugs work effectively to relieve asthma symptoms for 4-6 hours.
Ask your child to take this medicine first before starting to exercise, so that asthma does not recur and disrupt their activities. To make it easier for your little one to breathe, you can also put the medication into a more practical inhaler or nebulizer.
2. Long-term asthma medication
Long-term asthma medications are needed to prevent an asthma attack from appearing again. This type of pediatric asthma medication is usually given to children who have an asthma attack more than 2 times a week, symptoms of asthma appear at night more than 2 times a month, or children often hospitalized due to asthma.
Examples of long-term childhood asthma medications include:
- Inhaled corticosteroids, usually given to children under 5 years. Examples are budesonide (Pulmicort®), fluticasone (Flovent®), and beclomethasone (Qvar®).
- Leukotriene modifiers, serves to fight leukotriene or white blood cells that inhibit airflow in the lungs. An example is montelukast (Singulair®) which is available in the form of chewable tablets for children aged 2-6 years, also in the form of powder medicines for children under 1 year.
- Long-acting beta agonists (PROFIT), which is an asthma medication that is included in the corticosteroid treatment series. An example is salmeterol (Advair®).
These drugs must be taken every day to prevent an asthma attack from coming suddenly. Just as before, almost the entire drug can also be inserted into a nebulizer or inhaler to make it easier for the child to breathe.
