subject: Child With Asthma [print this page] Child asthma has become one of the most common respiratory illnesses affecting children in the recent times. Like asthma in grownups, child asthma is the result of the same underlying cause, i.e.mainly an inflammation in the respiratory airways. The airways become overly sensitive because of the inflammation, leading to breathing problems. A child asthma attack can be triggered off by anxiety, strenuous physical activity and exposure to smoke, dust, pollution, or any other allergens. Asthma in a child can be quite disruptive and can could lead to symptoms, which interfere with the child's daily activities like school, sports, playtime and sleeping patterns. Common child asthma symptoms include severe coughing or wheezing, shortness in breath, tightness or congestion in the chest, and sleep problems caused by coughing breathlessness or wheezing. Besides these, fatigue and breathing problems during physical exercise or active play and respiratory infections with bronchitis or delayed recovery are also usually experienced symptoms. The signs and symptoms may vary from child to child and on some occasions, they could be more intense than the others. Therefore, if your child wheezes, coughs during sleep or complains from any trouble in the chest, it should not be ignored. If child asthma is left untreated, it can cause some serious and permanent damage to the respiratory passage.
Child asthma treatment is mainly aimed at controlling the symptoms, reducing the side effects of asthma medications, ensuring minimal asthma attacks or flare-ups, minimizing the use of inhalers and allowing the child to participate in physical exercise and activities like other normal children. Persistent asthma in children can could be treated through a combination of -
Quick relief medication: Quick relief medications are also known as rescue medications. They are used when short-term relief from an attack is required. If recommended by a doctor, these medicines can also be taken before the child exercises. Quick relief medications include oral & intravenous corticosteroids, short-acting beta antagonists and Ipratropium.
Long-term asthma control medication: These medications need to be taken everyday. They include inhaled corticosteroids, theophylline and leukotriene modifiers. Hand-held inhalers: Babies and toddlers suffering from asthma may need to use a nebulizer, with a facemask, to inhale the medication. Older children can use either a hand-held inhaler that releases fine powder or a pressurized metered dose inhaler. Allergy-treating medication: In case the child's asthma is caused by exposure to allergens, medications like allergy shots (immunotherapy), oral or nasal sprays with antihistamines and Omalizumab may be beneficial.
It is strongly recommended that all parents get as much information as possible, about asthma and child care, so that they can deal with it and control it, effectively.
by: Kevin Pederson
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