What You Need To Know About Children’s Asthma 
Children’s asthma attacks the respiratory system in children, causing the airways to swell and narrow. It is the leading cause of school absences, doctor’s visits and hospital stays for children everywhere. Children who suffer from this disease typically breathe normally, until they come in contact with certain substances that can trigger off an asthma attack.
Common symptoms of children’s asthma include having difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, shortness of breath even when at rest, a tightness of the chest, and a persistent cough, especially at night. Parents also need to keep an eye out for these associated symptoms: bluish color to lips and face, severe level of anxiety because of difficulty breathing, rapid pulse, sweating and a decreased level of alertness. It is best to take your child to the emergency room as soon as possible even if just one or two symptoms are present.
Allergies and Asthma
Because allergic reactions can be similar to asthma symptoms, our doctors will run tests to determine the allergen triggers for your child’s condition. Allergens commonly tested for include pet dander, aspirin, weather changes, chemicals in food or air, dust, mold, exercise, pollen, viruses and smoke. Other tests, such as chest x-rays, allergy skin tests, blood tests and lung function tests may also be run to determine the severity of the condition.
Once the allergy triggers have been determined, asthma management at home involves removing or reducing potential triggers from your child’s environment. Removing carpets from the child’s bedroom and covering the mattress with an allergen free cover will take care of dust mites, which are the prime cause of allergies. While removing a beloved pet may not be possible, keeping the pet out of the child’s bedroom and installing allergen filters in the furnace system will help reduce the symptoms.
Asthma Treatment & Prevention
While there is no effective cure for asthma, asthma treatment strategies aim to help manage the condition and ease breathing. During early childhood, treatment is usually restricted to regular testing of lung function, followed by breathing treatments with bronchiodilators if needed. Children and parents are taught how to use an asthma inhaler for immediate symptoms. The good news is in many cases, the asthma symptoms disappear after adolescence.
It is also advisable to work out an emergency plan for asthma management with your child’s caretakers and the school staff, especially the school nurse and gym coaches. Instructions should be given concerning frequency of attacks, possible symptoms and medications to be administered as well as who is to be contacted in an emergency.
Any child suffering from a severe attack should be brought to the hospital immediately, so that they can undergo breathing therapy as soon as possible. Since a child’s lungs develop over time, lack of immediate asthma relief can result in permanent changes to lung function and could result in having to undergo continuous breathing treatments to heal damaged tissues. At Pediatric Partners, our experienced doctors will provide you with all the children’s asthma information you need to help your child thrive.
What You Need To Know About Children’s Asthma
Children’s asthma attacks the respiratory system in children, causing the airways to swell and narrow. It is the leading cause of school absences, doctor’s visits and hospital stays for children everywhere. Children who suffer from this disease typically breathe normally, until they come in contact with certain substances that can trigger off an asthma attack.
Common symptoms of children’s asthma include having difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, shortness of breath even when at rest, a tightness of the chest, and a persistent cough, especially at night. Parents also need to keep an eye out for these associated symptoms: bluish color to lips and face, severe level of anxiety because of difficulty breathing, rapid pulse, sweating and a decreased level of alertness. It is best to take your child to the emergency room as soon as possible even if just one or two symptoms are present.
Allergies and Asthma
Because allergic reactions can be similar to asthma symptoms, our doctors will run tests to determine the allergen triggers for your child’s condition. Allergens commonly tested for include pet dander, aspirin, weather changes, chemicals in food or air, dust, mold, exercise, pollen, viruses and smoke. Other tests, such as chest x-rays, allergy skin tests, blood tests and lung function tests may also be run to determine the severity of the condition.
Once the allergy triggers have been determined, asthma management at home involves removing or reducing potential triggers from your child’s environment. Removing carpets from the child’s bedroom and covering the mattress with an allergen free cover will take care of dust mites, which are the prime cause of allergies. While removing a beloved pet may not be possible, keeping the pet out of the child’s bedroom and installing allergen filters in the furnace system will help reduce the symptoms.
Asthma Treatment & Prevention
While there is no effective cure for asthma, asthma treatment strategies aim to help manage the condition and ease breathing. During early childhood, treatment is usually restricted to regular testing of lung function, followed by breathing treatments with bronchiodilators if needed. Children and parents are taught how to use an asthma inhaler for immediate symptoms. The good news is in many cases, the asthma symptoms disappear after adolescence.
It is also advisable to work out an emergency plan for asthma management with your child’s caretakers and the school staff, especially the school nurse and gym coaches. Instructions should be given concerning frequency of attacks, possible symptoms and medications to be administered as well as who is to be contacted in an emergency.
Any child suffering from a severe attack should be brought to the hospital immediately, so that they can undergo breathing therapy as soon as possible. Since a child’s lungs develop over time, lack of immediate asthma relief can result in permanent changes to lung function and could result in having to undergo continuous breathing treatments to heal damaged tissues. At Pediatric Partners, our experienced doctors will provide you with all the children’s asthma information you need to help your child thrive.