
Asthma is the most common chronic illness in children. Asthma is one of the main reasons for school absences and the most frequent cause of hospitalization. However, a good understanding of the causes and treatment of asthma can help to reduce the effect of asthma on children and their families.
Learn more about asthma in the video below.
Asthma is a chronic condition. The symptoms of asthma are caused by inflammation (swelling and irritation) and airway constriction (tightening of the muscles around the airways) in the lungs. Children with asthma may have some or all of the following symptoms: cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, rapid breathing and chest tightness.
These symptoms may occur daily, several times a week or only during certain times of the year. Potential triggers include illness, dust, mold, animals, pollens, cigarette smoke or cold air.
There is no simple test to diagnose asthma. However, there are some signs that may help your child's physician in deciding if your child has asthma:
If your child is diagnosed with asthma, you will be educated about how to identify signs and symptoms of an “attack.” If you have any question about the severity of your child's asthma symptoms, contact your physician. Your child's asthma treatment plan may need to be adjusted to both prevent symptoms and treat symptoms when they occur.
If your child has is experiencing any of the above warning signs, please contact your child's physician.
Once your child has been diagnosed with asthma, their physician will work with you to find out what triggers your child's asthma symptoms and how to avoid those irritants. The doctor will develop an asthma action plan to help you manage and control your child's asthma symptoms.
The following are potential asthma triggers:
Once you have determined what your child's asthma triggers are, there are steps you can take to minimize your child's exposure to particular triggers.
Take these actions to control dust mites:
Dander refers to flakes in the skin, hair or feathers of all warm-blooded animals including dogs, cats, birds, and rodents. There is no such thing as an allergen-free dog. The length of a pet's hair does not affect dander production. The allergen, which can potentially trigger asthma, is in the saliva, urine, and dander of all pets.
Once your child has been diagnosed with asthma, your child's physician will prescribe medications to control his or her symptoms. This plan may change over time as your child grows and changes. But every child with asthma needs a plan of action, and your child's asthma action plan should be available to all of their caregivers (at home, school, daycare, grandparents, etc.).
There are medications that can be used to prevent symptoms (controllers) and medications to treat symptoms when they occur (relievers).
Controller medications decrease the swelling and inflammation in the airways. These medications also reduce mucus build-up in the airways. Controller medications can be given by inhaling them from a nebulizer, a metered dose inhaler or a dry powder inhaler.
Inhaled corticosteroids are the most effective of controller medications. The most common side effects of inhaled corticosteroids are yeast infections in the mouth or a hoarse voice. To prevent these symptoms, have your child rinse their mouth out after taking the medication. If they require a mask for administration, wash their face.
Leukotriene inhibitors are a class of medications taken by mouth.
Anti-IgE therapy binds allergic antibodies, decreasing allergic causes of inflammation in the lungs. This therapy requires injections given every two to four weeks in a specialist's office. It is a treatment option for those with more severe asthma.
Bronchodilators are reliever medications that open up narrow airways by relaxing the muscles that constrict them. Bronchodilators relieve coughing, wheezing, breathlessness and the feeling of tightness in the chest. Albuterol is one of the most commonly prescribed bronchodilators. Other names for albuterol include Ventolin HFA, ProAir HFA and Proventil HFA. Xopenex and Maxair are other medications very similar to albuterol.
These medications work best when inhaled, either by nebulizer or metered dose inhaler. They may cause mild restlessness in some children. They work very quickly and should be effective for four to six hours. If your child needs a bronchodilator more often than every four hours or does not experience relief from the medication, it is important that you seek medical attention.
Watch the videos below to learn how to properly administer certain types of asthma medication.
Holding Chamber with Mouthpiece
Holding Chamber with Mask
Helping Your Child Use An Auto-Injector (EpiPen)
Helping Your Child Use a Nebulizer Machine
Helping Your Child Use Nasal Spray