Childhood asthma

Description

In childhood asthma, the lungs and the airways are inflamed easily when exposed to certain triggers. Such factors include the inhalation of pollen or a cold or other respiratory infection. Childhood asthma can cause irritant daily symptoms that interfere with play, sports, school and sleep. In some children, unmanaged asthma can cause asthma attacks.

Childhood asthma is not a disease other than asthma in adults, but children face unique challenges. The condition is a leading cause of emergency department visits, hospitalizations and missed school days.

Unfortunately, the childhood asthma can not be cured and the symptoms can continue into adulthood. But with the right treatment, you and your child can keep symptoms under control and prevent damage to the cultivation of the lungs.

Symptoms

Common childhood symptoms of asthma include:

  • A whistling sound or a sound of wheezing when breathing out.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • The congestion in the chest or a feeling of oppression.
  • Frequent cough, which gets worse when your child Has a viral infection.Is sleeping.Is exercise.It is in the cold air.
  • Have a viral infection.
  • Is sleeping.
  • Is exercise.
  • It is in the cold air.
  • Have a viral infection.
  • Is sleeping.
  • Is exercise.
  • It is in the cold air.

Childhood asthma can also cause:

  • Trouble sleeping due to shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing.
  • Bouts of coughing or wheezing that get worse with a cold or the flu.
  • Delay in recovery or bronchitis after a respiratory infection.
  • Shortness of breath that makes it difficult to play or exercise.
  • The fatigue, which may be due to the lack of sleep.

Asthma symptoms vary from child to child and may worsen or improve with time. Your child may have only one symptom, such as a persistent cough, or chest congestion.

It can be difficult to determine if your child's symptoms are caused by asthma. Wheezing and other asthma-like symptoms can be caused by infectious bronchitis or other respiratory problems.

When to see a doctor

Take your child to see a health care provider if you suspect that your child has asthma. Early treatment will help to control the symptoms and possibly prevent asthma attacks.

Make an appointment with your provider if you notice:

  • The cough, which is constant, it is intermittent or seems linked to the physical activity.
  • Wheezing or whistling in the chest when the child breathes out.
  • Shortness of breath or rapid breathing.
  • Complaints of oppression in the chest.
  • The repetition of episodes of suspected bronchitis or pneumonia.

Kids that have asthma can say things like, "My chest feels funny" or "I'm always coughing." Listen to the cough in children, which could not wake them, when they are asleep. Crying, laughing, shouting, or strong emotional reactions and stress can also cause coughing or wheezing.

If your child is diagnosed with asthma, the creation of a plan of asthma can help you and other caregivers to monitor symptoms and know what to do if an asthma attack occurs.

When to seek emergency treatment

In severe cases, you may see your child in the chest and the sides by pulling inward when breathing is difficult. Your child may have an increased heart rate, sweating, and chest pain. Seek emergency medical attention if your child:

  • Has to stop in midsentence to take a breather.
  • Is the use of the abdominal muscles to breathe.
  • It has been expanded nostrils the breath.
  • Is trying so hard to breathe that the abdomen is sucked beneath the ribs during breathing.

Even if your child has not been diagnosed with asthma, seek medical attention immediately if you notice difficulty breathing. Although episodes of asthma vary in severity, asthma attacks can begin with the cough that progresses to wheezing and difficulty breathing.

Causes

Childhood asthma causes are not fully understood. Some of the factors that are thought to be involved include:

  • A tendency to develop allergies that runs in the family.
  • Parents with asthma.
  • Some types of infections of the respiratory system at a very young age.
  • The exposure to environmental factors, such as cigarette smoke or other pollutants in the air.

The increase in the immune system of the sensitivity of the causes of the lungs and the airways to swell and produce mucus when exposed to certain triggers. The reaction to a trigger can be delayed, so that it is more difficult to identify the trigger. The triggers vary from child to child and may include:

  • Viral infections, like the common cold.
  • Exposure to air pollutants, such as tobacco smoke.
  • Allergies to dust mites, pet dander, pollen or mold.
  • The physical activity.
  • Changes in weather or cold air.

Sometimes, the symptoms of asthma occur without apparent precipitating factors.

Risk factors

The factors that could increase your child's chance of developing asthma include:

  • Exposure to tobacco smoke, even before his birth.
  • Previous allergic reactions, including skin reactions, allergies or hay fever, also called allergic rhinitis.
  • A family history of asthma or allergies.
  • To live in an area with high pollution.
  • Obesity.
  • Respiratory conditions, such as a chronic runny or stuffy nose, inflammation of the sinuses, or pneumonia.
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  • The fact of being a man.
  • Be Black or Puerto Rico.

Complications

Asthma can cause a number of complications, including:

  • Severe asthma attacks that require emergency treatment or hospital care.
  • Permanent decrease in lung function.
  • School days are lost or falling behind in their studies.
  • The lack of sleep and fatigue.
  • The symptoms that interfere with play, sports, or other activities.

Prevention

Careful planning and avoid asthma triggers are the best ways to prevent asthma attacks.

  • Limit the exposure to asthma triggers. Help your child to avoid irritants and allergens that trigger asthma symptoms.
  • Do not allow smoking around your child. Exposure to tobacco smoke during childhood is a risk factor for childhood asthma, as well as a common trigger of asthma attacks.
  • Encourage your child to be active. While your child's asthma is well controlled, regular physical activity can help the lungs to work more efficiently.
  • See your health care provider when necessary.Check regularly. Do not ignore the signs that your child's asthma may not be under control, such as the need to use a quick-relief inhaler too often. Asthma changes over time. Consult your child's provider can help you perform the necessary treatment adjustments to the control of the symptoms.
  • Help your child maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight can worsen asthma symptoms, and puts the child at risk of other health problems.
  • To maintain the acidity under control. Acid reflux or heartburn severe might worsen the symptoms of asthma in the child. To control acid reflux, your child may need prescription medicines or medicines that you can buy off the shelf.

See your health care provider when necessary. Check regularly. Do not ignore the signs that your child's asthma may not be under control, such as the need to use a quick-relief inhaler too often.

Asthma changes over time. Consult your child's provider can help you perform the necessary treatment adjustments to the control of the symptoms.

Childhood asthma

Diagnosis

Asthma can be difficult to diagnose. Your doctor considers that the symptoms and their frequency and the medical history of your child. Your child may need tests to rule out other conditions, and to identify the most likely cause of the symptoms.

A number of childhood conditions can have symptoms similar to those caused by asthma. To complicate the diagnosis in addition, these conditions also commonly occur with asthma. So your child's provider will determine if your child's symptoms are caused by asthma, a condition other than asthma, or both asthma and another condition.

Conditions that can cause symptoms similar to asthma include:

  • Rhinitis.
  • The Sinusitis.
  • Acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
  • Problems of the respiratory tract.
  • Dysfunctional breathing.
  • Respiratory infections like bronchiolitis and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Your child may need the following tests:

  • Pulmonary function tests, also called spirometry.Health care providers to diagnose asthma in children with the same tests that are used to identify the disease in adults. Spirometry measures the amount of air that your child can exhale and how quickly. Your child may have lung function tests at rest, after exercise and after taking the medication for asthma. Another pulmonary function test is brochoprovocation. The use of spirometry, this test measures how well the lungs react to certain triggers, such as exercise or exposure to cold air.
  • The exhaled nitric oxide test. If the diagnosis of asthma is uncertain after lung function tests, the doctor may recommend the measurement of the level of nitric oxide in exhaled sample of your child's breathing. The nitric oxide tests can also help determine if the steroids may be helpful for your child's asthma.

Pulmonary function tests, also called spirometry. Health care providers to diagnose asthma in children with the same tests that are used to identify the disease in adults. Spirometry measures the amount of air that your child can exhale and how quickly. Your child may have lung function tests at rest, after exercise and after taking the medication for asthma.

Another pulmonary function test is brochoprovocation. The use of spirometry, this test measures how well the lungs react to certain triggers, such as exercise or exposure to cold air.

These asthma tests are not accurate before 5 years of age, however. For small children, your provider of trust in the information that you and your child to provide about your symptoms. Sometimes the diagnosis can't be made until later, after months or even years of observation of symptoms.

Allergy testing for allergic asthma

If your child seems to have asthma that is caused by allergies, the doctor may recommend allergy testing skin. During a skin test, the skin is pricked with extracts of common allergy-causing substances, such as animal dander, mold, dust mites, and observed signs of an allergic reaction.

Treatment

Initial treatment depends on the severity of your child's asthma. The goal of asthma treatment is to keep the symptoms under control, which means that your child has:

  • Minimal or no symptoms.
  • Few or no asthma flare-ups.
  • There are No limitations on physical activity or exercise.
  • Minimal use of quick-relief inhalers such as albuterol (ProAir HFA, Ventolin HFA, others). These are also called rescue inhalers.
  • Few or no side effects of the medications.

The treatment of asthma involves both the prevention of the symptoms and treatment of an asthma attack in progress. The right medicine for your child depends on a number of factors, including:

  • Age.
  • Symptoms.
  • The triggers of asthma.
  • What seems to work best to keep your asthma under control.

For children under 3 years of age who have mild symptoms of asthma, your doctor might use a wait-and-see approach. This is due to the long-term effects of asthma medications to infants and small children are not clear.

However, if a baby or a child has frequent or severe episodes of wheezing, a health care provider may prescribe a drug to see if it improves symptoms.

Long-term control medicines

Preventive long-term control medications reduce the inflammation in the airways of the child that leads to the symptoms. In most cases, these medicines should be taken daily.

Types of long-term control medications include:

  • Inhaled corticosteroids.These medications include fluticasone (Flovent Diskus), budesonide (Pulmicort Flexhaler), mometasone (Asmanex HFA), ciclesonide (Alvesco), beclomethasone (Qvar Redihaler), and others. Your child might need to use these medications for several days or weeks before you get the full benefit. The long-term use of these drugs has been associated with some growth retardation in children, but the effect is less. In most cases, the benefits of a good control of asthma outweigh the risks of possible side effects.
  • Leukotriene modifiers. These oral medications include montelukast (Singulair), zafirlukast (Accolate), and zileuton (Zyflo). Help prevent the symptoms of asthma during a maximum of 24 hours.
  • The combination of inhalers.These medications contain an inhaled corticosteroid plus a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA). They include fluticasone and salmeterol (Advair Diskus), budesonide and formoterol (Symbicort), fluticasone and vilanterol (Breo Ellipta), and mometasone and formoterol (Dulera). In some situations, long-acting beta agonists have been linked to severe asthma attacks. For this reason, long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) medicines must always be given to a child with an inhaler, which contains a corticosteroid. The combination of these inhalers should be used only for the asthma is not well controlled by other medicines.
  • Theophylline (Theo-24). This is a daily pill that helps to keep the airway open. Theophylline relaxes the muscles around the airways to make breathing easier. It is mostly used with inhaled steroids. Children who take this medication should have their blood tests regularly.
  • Immunomodulatory agents. Mepolizumab (Nucala), dupilumab (Dupixent) and benralizumab (Fasenra) could be appropriate for children over 12 years of age who have severe asthma eosinophilic. Omalizumab (Xolair) may be considered for children of 6 years or older who have moderate-to-severe allergic asthma.

Inhaled corticosteroids. These medications include fluticasone (Flovent Diskus), budesonide (Pulmicort Flexhaler), mometasone (Asmanex HFA), ciclesonide (Alvesco), beclomethasone (Qvar Redihaler), and others. Your child might need to use these medications for several days or weeks before you get the full benefit.

The long-term use of these drugs has been associated with some growth retardation in children, but the effect is less. In most cases, the benefits of a good control of asthma outweigh the risks of possible side effects.

The combination of inhalers. These medications contain an inhaled corticosteroid plus a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA). They include fluticasone and salmeterol (Advair Diskus), budesonide and formoterol (Symbicort), fluticasone and vilanterol (Breo Ellipta), and mometasone and formoterol (Dulera).

In some situations, long-acting beta agonists have been linked to severe asthma attacks. For this reason, long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) medicines must always be given to a child with an inhaler, which contains a corticosteroid. The combination of these inhalers should be used only for the asthma is not well controlled by other medicines.

Quick-relief medicines

Quick-relief medicines to quickly open swollen airways. Also called rescue medications, the quick-relief medications are used as needed for rapid, short-term relief of the symptoms during an asthma attack — or before exercise if your doctor recommends it.

Types of quick-relief medications include:

  • Short-acting beta agonists. These inhaled bronchodilator medication can quickly relieve symptoms during an asthma attack. They include albuterol and levalbuterol (Xopenex HFA). These drugs act in a matter of minutes, and the effects last for several hours.
  • Oral and intravenous corticosteroids. These medications relieve the inflammation of the airways caused by severe asthma. Examples include prednisone and methylprednisolone. Can cause serious side effects when used long term, and so is only used for the treatment of severe asthma symptoms in a short-term basis.

Treatment for allergy-induced asthma

If your child's asthma is triggered or aggravated by allergies, your child may benefit from treatment of the allergy, such as the following, as well:

  • Omalizumab. This medication is for people who have allergies and severe asthma. Reduces the immune system's reaction to allergy-causing substances, such as pollen, dust mites, and pet dander. Omalizumab is delivered by injection every 2 to 4 weeks.
  • Allergy medications. These include oral and nasal spray antihistamines and decongestants, as well as corticosteroids, cromolyn and ipratropium nasal spray.
  • Allergy shots, also called immunotherapy. Immunotherapy injections are usually given once a week for a couple of months, once a month, for a period of 3 to 5 years. With time, gradually reduce your child's immune system reaction to specific allergens.

Do not rely only on the quick-relief medicines

Long-term asthma control medications such as inhaled corticosteroids are the cornerstone of asthma treatment. These medications keep asthma under control and make it less likely that your child has an asthma attack.

If your child has an asthma attack, a quick relief, also called a rescue inhaler can relieve the symptoms right away. But if long-term control medicines are working properly, your child is not necessary to use a quick-relief inhaler very often.

Keep a record of how many puffs of your child uses each week. If your child is often necessary to use a quick-relief inhaler, consult a health care provider. You will probably have to adjust your child's long-term control medicine.

Inhaled medicine devices

Inhaled short-and long-term control medications are used by the inhalation of a measured doses of the medicine.

  • Older children and teenagers can use a small handheld device called a pressurized metered-dose inhaler or inhaler that releases a fine dust.
  • Babies and young children need to wear a mask connected to a metered-dose inhaler or a nebulizer to get the correct amount of medicine.
  • Babies need to use a device that converts the liquid medication into fine droplets, called a nebulizer. Your baby uses a face mask and breathing regularly, while the nebulizer delivers the correct dose of medication.

Asthma action Plan

Work with your doctor to create a plan of written asthma action. This can be an important part of treatment, especially if your child has severe asthma. An asthma action plan can help you and your child:

  • Recognize when you need to adjust the long-term control medicines.
  • Determine how well the treatment is working.
  • Identify the signs of an asthma attack, and you know what to do when one occurs.
  • Know when to call a doctor or get emergency help.

Children who have sufficient co-ordination and understanding could use a handheld device to measure how well you can breathe. This device is called a peak flow meter. A written plan of action for asthma can help you and your child remember what to do when a peak flow measurement to reach a certain level.

The action plan could use measurements of peak flow and symptoms to classify your child's asthma in the areas, such as a green, a yellow zone and red zone. These areas correspond to well-controlled symptoms, partially controlled the symptoms and poor control of symptoms. This makes the tracking of your child's asthma is more easy.

Your child's symptoms and triggers are likely to change over time. Observe the symptoms and work with your doctor to adjust medications as needed.

If your child's symptoms are completely controlled for a time, your child's provider may recommend reducing the dose or stop taking the medications for asthma. This is known as a step of treatment. If your child's asthma is not well controlled, your doctor may want to increase, change or add medications. This is known as a step of treatment.

Self-care

Take steps to reduce your child's exposure to asthma triggers will lessen the chance of asthma attacks. Steps to help avoid triggers vary depending on what triggers your child's asthma. Here are some things that can help:

  • Maintain low humidity in the home. If you live in a humid climate, talk with your child's doctor about the use of a device to keep the air dry, called a dehumidifier.
  • Keep the air clean. Air conditioning and heating professional check the air conditioning system every year. Change the filters in your heating and air-conditioning according to the manufacturer's instructions. Also consider the possibility of installing a small particle filter in your ventilation system.
  • Reduce pet dander. If your child is allergic to the dander, it is best to avoid pets with fur or feathers. If you have pets, regularly bathroom or toilet they can also reduce the amount of dandruff. Keep pets out of your child's room.
  • Use your air conditioner. Air conditioning helps reduce the amount of air pollen from trees, grasses and weeds that finds its way into the interior. The air conditioning also reduces the humidity in the interior and can reduce your child's exposure to dust mites. If you don't have air conditioning, try to keep windows closed during pollen season.
  • Keep dust to a minimum. Reduce the amount of dust that can aggravate the symptoms of nocturnal by adjusting certain elements in the bedroom of her son. For example, encase pillows, mattresses and box springs in dust covers. Consider the possibility of removing the carpet and the installation of hard flooring in your home, especially in your child's bedroom. Use washable curtains and blinds.
  • Clean regularly. Clean your home at least once a week to remove dust and allergens.
  • Reduce your child's exposure to the cold air. If your child's asthma is aggravated by cold, dry air, using an external mask can help you.

Alternative medicine

While some alternative remedies that are used for asthma, in most cases, more research is needed to see how they work and to determine possible side effects. Alternative treatments to consider include:

  • Breathing techniques. These include structured breathing programs, such as the breathing technique Buteyko, the Papworth method and yoga breathing exercises, known as pranayama.
  • Relaxation techniques. Techniques such as meditation, biofeedback, hypnosis and progressive relaxation of the muscles can help with asthma by reducing tension and stress.
  • Herbal remedies and supplements.A couple of herbal remedies that have been used for asthma, including black seed, fish oil and magnesium. However, more studies are needed to evaluate its benefit and safety. Herbs and supplements can have side effects and may interact with other medicines your child is taking. Talk with your doctor before trying any type of herbs or supplements.

Herbal remedies and supplements. A couple of herbal remedies that have been used for asthma, including black seed, fish oil and magnesium. However, more studies are needed to evaluate its benefit and safety.

Herbs and supplements can have side effects and may interact with other medicines your child is taking. Talk with your doctor before trying any type of herbs or supplements.

Coping and support

It can be stressful to help your child control asthma. Keep these tips in mind to make life as easy as possible:

  • Make treatment a regular part of life. If your child has to take daily medication, do not make a big thing out of it — should be as routine as eating breakfast or brushing your teeth.
  • The use of a written plan of action for asthma.Work with your doctor to develop your child's plan of action, and give a copy to all the caregivers of the child, such as child care providers, teachers, coaches and parents of your child's friends. According to a written plan can help you and your child to identify the first symptoms, providing important information about how to treat your child's asthma day-to-day and how to deal with an asthma attack.
  • Be encouraging.Focus on what your child can do, not on limitations. Involve teachers, school nurses, coaches, family and friends to help your child control asthma. Promote typical play and activity. Don't limit your child's activities for fear of an asthma attack — you work with your provider to control exercise-induced symptoms.
  • Calm and control. Don't bother if your asthma symptoms worsen. Focus on your child's asthma action plan, and involving your child in every step for your child to understand what is happening.
  • Talk with other parents of children with asthma. Chat rooms and message boards on the internet or in a local support group you can connect with the parents facing similar challenges.
  • Help your child connect with other people who have asthma. Send your child to "asthma camp", or find other activities organized for children with asthma. This can help your child to feel less isolated and to gain a better understanding of asthma and its treatment.

The use of a written plan of action for asthma. Work with your doctor to develop your child's plan of action, and give a copy to all the caregivers of the child, such as child care providers, teachers, coaches and parents of your child's friends.

According to a written plan can help you and your child to identify the first symptoms, providing important information about how to treat your child's asthma day-to-day and how to deal with an asthma attack.

Be encouraging. Focus on what your child can do, not on limitations. Involve teachers, school nurses, coaches, family and friends to help your child control asthma.

Promote typical play and activity. Don't limit your child's activities for fear of an asthma attack — you work with your provider to control exercise-induced symptoms.

Preparing for your appointment

It is likely that you begin by taking your child to your family doctor or your child's pediatrician. However, when you call to schedule an appointment, you may be referred to an allergist, a lung doctor, called a pulmonologist, or other specialist. Here's some information to help you prepare for your child's appointment.

What you can do

Make a list of:

  • Your child's symptoms, how severe they are and when they occur. Note when the symptoms bother your child — for example, if the symptoms tend to get worse at certain times of the day, during certain times of the year, when the child is exposed to cold air, pollen, or other triggers; or when your child is playing hard, or playing sports.
  • Key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes your child has had.
  • All medications, vitamins and supplements your child takes, including doses.
  • Questions to ask during the appointment.

Asthma or asthma-like symptoms, questions include:

  • Asthma is the most likely cause of my child's breathing problems?
  • What else could be causing my child's symptoms?
  • What evidence does my child need?
  • Is my child's condition likely temporary or chronic?
  • What treatment do you suggest?
  • My child has other health conditions. How can we best manage them together?
  • There are restrictions that my child needs to follow?
  • Should my child see a specialist?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What sites do you recommend?

Do not hesitate to ask other questions.

What to expect from your child's doctor

Your child's health care provider is likely to ask questions, including:

  • When he noticed the symptoms of your child?
  • Does your child have difficulty breathing most of the time or only at certain times or in certain situations?
  • Does your child have allergies such as hay fever?
  • What, if anything, appears to worsen the symptoms of your child?
  • What, if anything, seems to improve the symptoms of your child?
  • Do allergies or asthma run in the family of his son?
Symptoms and treatment of asthma in Childhood