Asthma

Asthma is a common childhood disease characterized by inflammation of the airways and lungs that can affect your child’s breathing.

There is no definite cause for asthma but it is more likely if you have a family history of the disease and it can also be triggered by allergens such as pollen (more likely to trigger attacks in older children than babies, as sensitivity to pollen has to build up over time) or cigarette smoke, as well as the common cold, overexertion, cold air or stress.

Most children with asthma develop it before school age but it can be difficult to diagnose in babies because it’s difficult to assess how well they breathe and because the symptoms it causes, such as wheezing and coughing, are common in other conditions, such as bronchiolitis. Your pediatrician will base her diagnosis on your family medical history and whether your baby has any other allergies, such as eczema (up to 80 percent of children with asthma have other allergies too). It’s possible she may err on the side of caution and treat your baby’s wheezing as if it’s asthma even without a definite diagnosis. In toddlers and preschoolers it’s possible a chest X-ray will be carried out.

Older children with asthma also suffer from wheezing, coughing and breathlessness, and it’s easier to diagnose them because their lung function can be more easily measured using a device called a peak flow meter, which measures air being expelled from your child’s lungs.

Treatment

Your child’s treatment plan aims to both limit the number of attacks he has and relieve any attacks that do occur. His medication will be given via a metered dose inhaler (MDI), which is a handheld device that delivers medication directly to your child’s lungs; or a nebulizer, which is a machine that turns liquid medication into a mist that can be easily breathed in through a mask or mouthpiece). If your baby needs to take medication, you’ll be given a small spacer and mask to use. Make sure anyone who cares for your baby or child is familiar with the signs of an asthma attack and knows how to give your child his medication.

• Controller medication helps limit flare-ups by reducing inflammation in your child’s airways over a period of time and preventing his lungs from becoming filled with mucus. These can also be given orally.

• Rescue medication is usually given via an inhaler or nebulizer and work quickly to relieve attacks by relaxing the muscles in your child’s airways. our child will be prescribed a reliever medicine which can be given at the first sign of an asthma attack.

Monitor your child’s asthma and contact your pediatrician if it doesn’t seem to be improving with treatment, if he’s coughing or wheezing after playing or exercising, or seems to need more medicine to control his symptoms. If your child has an asthma attack and his meds don’t seem to be relieving it, call 911 and keep using his medication until help arrives.

Prevention

Don’t smoke around your child and don’t let anyone else smoke in the same room as him. Even going into another room to smoke does little to reduce the harmful toxins your child is being exposed to. You should also take steps to limit his exposure to other allergens such as pollen, mold and dust mites. If you have a pet don’t allow it in your child’s room or on his bed.

Some children grow out of asthma by the time they’re adults and for others the symptoms will get milder. Research has shown that the condition never really goes away and may come back later in life.

The information on this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.

Related Articles

Last Modified: 19/06/2007

Send to a friend