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Asthma is a chronic disorder that causes the airways to swell and get narrow. The inflammation in the airways leads to problems like wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing.
Asthma is one of the common chronic diseases of childhood. Children are usually affected by both asthma and allergies.
Get information about the signs and symptoms of asthma in children. Know how asthma is diagnosed and the various treatments for childhood asthma.
Symptoms of asthma in children
The most common symptoms of asthma are coughing and wheezing. In case of cough-variant asthma, coughing can be the only symptom. Wheezing is another symptom of asthma that is a high-pitched whistling sound that is the result of turbulent airflow passing through narrowed airways. The other symptoms of asthma in children include:
1. Shortness of breath or feeling out of breath
2. Breathing faster than normal
3. Chest tightness
4. Gasping for air
5. Dark bags under the eyes
6. Tiredness and irritability
It is mostly seen that the symptoms worsen with exertion or during the night. Certain asthma symptoms depend on the season and can be due to environmental allergies. It is important to find a good asthma treatment to recover completely.
If at any time you feel that your child has developed a new symptom, call your doctor immediately. Emergency symptoms of asthma include difficulty in breathing, bluish color on the lips and face, severe anxiety because of shortness of breath, rapid pulse rate, extreme sweating, drowsiness and confusion.
Diagnosis of asthma in children
The doctor can easily diagnose asthma by examining the lungs of the child. It can be done with the help of the various tests available these days. Children, who are five years old, can undergo the Spirometry breathing test to diagnose asthma. Also, the exhaled nitric oxide test can be used to check the lung functioning of a five-year-old child. Children who are below the age of 5 years are not fit to take these tests, so the doctor may use the peak flow meter to check their lung functioning. The peak flow meter is a helpful device that tells you how the child blows air out of his or her lungs. Chest x-rays and allergy testing can also be used to diagnose asthma in children.
Treatment for asthma
For asthma treatment, it is important to adequately control the symptoms and find the best inhaler for the condition. By doing so, the risk for future exacerbations gets minimized. It is also important to maintain the normal lung flow of the child to treat this problem.
There are two types of medicines available in the market for treating asthma: long-term control drugs and rescue asthma drugs.
Ø Long-term control drugs are medicines that need to be taken daily to prevent the asthma symptoms. These drugs include inhaled steroids, long-acting bronchodilators, Leukotriene inhibitors, and Cromolyn sodium.
Ø Quick relief or rescue asthma drugs are made to instantly control the asthma symptoms. They are used when the child gets an asthma attack or when he is coughing or wheezing. These asthma drugs can be taken using aninhaler. It is advisable to use a spacer device along with the inhaler to ensure the medicine reaches the lungs properly. For younger children, it is better to use a nebulizer instead of an inhaler.
Find out the things that trigger your child’s asthma
Try to find out the things that worsen your child’s asthma. These things are known as asthma triggers. There are many things that can trigger asthma like pollen, dust mites, mold, pet dander, smoke, and more. Once you find the asthma trigger that worsens your child’s asthma, you can keep him away from these to prevent an attack.
Can asthma be prevented?
Various studies show that kids who live on farms are protected against asthma and various environmental allergies. Air pollution and changes in climate are the main causes of asthma and allergies. Also, maternal smoking during pregnancy can cause asthma to the child. The researchers believe that kids who live in the rural areas and use less of antibiotics are less likely to suffer from asthma or any allergy.
It is advisable to monitor your child’s asthma regularly with the help of the peak flow meter. By doing so, you can easily control the condition. Asthma attacks usually come with warning, so you can either suppress pharma products via pharmaceutical manufacturers or take advice from your doctor before hand.
If at any time you feel that your child has developed a new symptom, call your doctor immediately. Emergency symptoms of asthma include difficulty in breathing, bluish color on the lips and face, severe anxiety because of shortness of breath, rapid pulse rate, extreme sweating, drowsiness and confusion.
Mostly, it is seen that the asthma symptoms in children lessen and go away once they grow up. Asthma that is not controlled in time can cause lung problems that can last a lifetime.
