| CHILDHOOD
ASTHMA:
What
is Asthma?
Asthma is a condition that affects airways the small
tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs
How does it occur?
In children with asthma, airways are swollen and inflamed.
When these inflamed airways come into contact with an
asthma trigger, symptoms of asthma appear.
What are the symptoms?
Coughing
Wheezing
Tight chest
Getting short of breath
What are the triggers?
Cold or flu (viral infection),
Cigarette smoke, car fumes, paint fumes, Exercise (especially
on a cold dry day), Pollen, Furry feathery animals/
pets/ toys, House dust mite (beds, carpets, soft toys)
What happens to the airways?
When a child comes into contact with an asthma trigger,
the muscles around the walls of the airways tighten
so that the airway becomes narrower. The lining of the
airway swells and produces sticky mucus. As the airways
narrow, it becomes difficult for air to move in and
out and the child finds it difficult to breath.This
may be accompanied by a wheezing or whistling noise.
Can it become serious?
Doctors often use the words "mild","moderate"
and "severe" to describe asthma. Below are
some guidelines explaining what they mean.
Mild : Cough or a wheeze is present, but the child plays
happily and feeds well. Sleep is undisturbed by symptoms.
Moderate: The child wakes at night. Can't run around
and play without wheeze or cough.
Severe: The child is too restless to sleep, unwilling
to play at all, too breathless to talk or feed if severe
(lips going blue).
Know Your respiratory System
What are the treatments available ?
Preventer inhaler: Helps to protect airways. They make
asthma symptoms less likely
Reliever inhaler: Helps to relieve breathing difficulties
when they happen
Steroid tablets: Short course of these tablets for 1-5
days is sometimes needed to treat or prevent an attack
in addition to preventers and relievers. But please
see your doctor for managing your child's asthma.
Can it run in families?
The tendency to develop allergies including allergic
asthma often runs in the family. There are, however,
a number of other things that can also cause children
to develop asthma.
Is there a cure for asthma?
At present there are only methods to relieve asthma.
Thanks to research, this might change in future
What to do in asthma attack?
1.Take 2 puffs or more of your reliever inhaler straight
away using a spacer (your doctor will advice you regarding
the exact dose and technique)
2. Keep calm and try to relax as much as your breathing
will let you.
3. Sit down, don't lie down.
4. Support oneself by resting one's hands on the knees.
5. Try to slow breathing down as this will make one
less exhausted
6. Wait 5-10 minutes
7. If reliever has no effect, call doctor or ambulance.
How to keep asthma under control?
Avoid triggers: House dust mite, furry toys/ pets, pollen,
smoke.
Keep active: Exercise is the best way to keep one's
body in tip top condition. However exercise is also
a common asthma trigger. But that does not mean that
you should stop. The exercise tolerance improves with
time.
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