ARTICLES
Childhood Asthma
Considered to be the most common chronic disease
in children, asthma affects over 4 million of children below 18
years old. If your child is among the many affected by this illness,
then you must be well-informed and educated in order to manage
asthma properly.
Childhood asthma is characterized by the inflammation of the bronchial
airways resulting to the production of excessive mucus, swelling
and contraction of the respiratory muscles. The sudden change in
the respiratory system obstructs the airways making breathing difficult.
When this happens, your child will experience shortness of breath
punctuated by coughing and wheezing. An asthma attack may be mild,
moderate or severe. In any case, it would still be better if an
asthma episode is prevented.
The cause of childhood asthma can not be pinpointed to a single
factor. Many experts believe that childhood asthma is partially
hereditary and have a strong allergic component. The inflammation
of the airways may also be caused by allergy, airborne irritants
or viral infections. A child with asthma might experience recurrent
respiratory infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis. If your
child coughs after a strenuous physical activity like running or
crying, he should also be evaluated for asthma. Childhood asthma
can cause a child to be irritable because of the discomfort from
chest tightness and difficulty in breathing.
You would also be surprised that there is a condition called hidden
asthma. This kind of childhood asthma is diagnosed by testing the
child's pulmonary function. The child will exhibit only mild symptoms
that are sometimes unrecognizable.
Childhood asthma is commonly triggered by exercise, infections,
allergy, irritants, weather and emotion. The most common trigger
among these is exercise affecting nearly 80% of all children with
asthma. You could prevent an asthma episode by giving your child
a bronchodilator medication before any physical activity. Among
these physical activities, swimming is the least likely to trigger
an asthma attack.
Respiratory infections, caused by a virus, are also one of the
most common triggers of childhood asthma. This is why it is recommended
for babies to have their flu vaccination. You can also prevent
asthma by ensuring our child is well-hydrated. Allergies are also
known to trigger childhood asthma attacks. Allergens such as dust,
pollen and even food can cause inflammation in the airways resulting
to an asthma episode.
Changes in weather conditions can also trigger an asthma attack.
There have been numerous studies proving that cold air provokes
an asthma episode. Your child should a wear protective mask or
even a simple heavy scarf to prevent from inhalation of cold air.
Weather conditions like strong winds can scatter dust and pollen
in the air increasing the chances of an asthma attack. If you're
experiencing weather conditions like this, it might be a smart
idea to stay under the protection of the indoors. This way, none
of the asthma will flare up.
Lastly, emotional stress caused by anxiety, anger or frustrations
are also childhood asthma triggers. Child experiencing emotional
stress often breathes rapidly or suffers from hyperventilation
which can further worsen an asthma attack. You should try to encourage
your child to relax and stay calm. Once your child's breathing
returns to normal, you can administer asthma medication. |