Asthma In Children

It’s important to note that the majority of asthmatic children develop the disease when they’re toddlers. With such alarming numbers it’s extremely important that you get your child tested when they’re still young. It’s been reported that there are 5 million American children suffering from asthma of which close to 173,000 are hospitalized due to severe symptoms and another 864,000 who receive emergency treatment every year.

Despite diagnosis of asthma within children being more difficult than it is for adults. It’s still quite easy to monitor the symptoms and signs that typically indicate its presence. Diagnosing asthma in toddlers can be the difference between life and death and this is represented by the many cases of toddler death due to severe asthma attacks which simply weren’t diagnosed early enough.

Asthma like symptoms can also be produced from respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and even the common cold, so displaying the symptoms doesn’t always point to asthma. However to be on the safe side it’s always best to monitor and seek advise from your GP, as seeking professional advise is always the best way to proceed.

If you’re in the situation that asthma has been detected in your child, don’t worry because it doesn’t mean the disease will be present for life. There are numerous cases of the condition dissappearing as the child matures into adulthood. This behaviour suggests that despite children being more prone to the condition, they actually develop an immunity as they grow.

So what are some of the symptoms of asthma ? Well a child will cough persistently and it will be one that is both congested and hacking and sometimes wheezing and coughing are also present. The child may also show a tendency to flare their nostrils and contract their muscles strongly when breathing and coughing. If the child is still breast feeding you might have severe problems at feeding time when feeding will be almost impossible. During sleep your child might breathe rapidly and if you notice this symptom in particular, you should take him to the hospital immediately.

Another symptom to look out for would be a lack of enthusiasm and stamina during playtime. There could be a direct tie in with breathing difficulties and physical exertion. This could also display itself in the child avoiding other children. To detect asthma in children isn’t easy but if you’re at all uncertain have them checked out by your doctor.

As your child gets older it can often be quite challenging to mange your childs activities. So to make things easier your best bet is to garner support from friends, teachers and/or your care provider. You can make it clear to them what they should do should any problems arise and what they should look out for.

As well as monitoring your child there are certain environments and things that should just be avoided. Firstly keep them away from smoky environments (cigarette smoke can easily induce an attack), dust mites are another problem area and their presence in stuffed toys is sometimes overlooked. Your pediatrician can test your child’s sensitivity level to dust mites as well as other particles such as pollen during the spring and summer times. If your child reacts to pollen and other particles you’re better off reducing their outdoor activities during this period.

Emotional stress can also trigger asthma. It can trigger an attack and increase the severity of there normal asthmatic symptoms. Any panic attacks should be handled with calm so that the child can quickly get a handle on the situation and resume normal breathing. In most cases helping them to use their inhaler in a calm and controlled fashion should resolve any wheezing and breathlessness.

Asthma with children requires great responsibility from the parents, so keep your child safe from conditions that can cause him harm, and keep monitoring their symptoms because if you don’t it could lead to something more fatal and maybe even long term.