What is Childhood Asthma?

Overview 

Asthma is a common breathing condition in children. Millions of children are suffering from asthma, according to a recent report around 8-9% children are bearing this life-threatening disease. 

Childhood Asthma is characterized by an inflammation which makes small and medium-sized airways harder to breathe in and breathe out by narrowing it. Airways form more mucus and it swells. Asthma in children occurs due to several reasons such as infections, allergies, heredity, obesity, eczema, etc. Parents often get confused with the mechanism of asthma.

Following things can help them improve their understanding of Childhood Asthma.

What Is Childhood Asthma?

During asthma children’s lungs become sensitive against certain things.The actual cause of asthma is still hidden but people believe inflammation reduces the width of airways makes it difficult for children to breath. Even toddlers can get asthma at the age of 6 months or so. So it can begin at any age. 

Childhood Asthma Statistics 

• As per the analysis, young children with the age of 6-8 years are likely to get more asthma attacks than children with 14-16 years. 
• 8 million children are suffering from asthma, according to a recent report. It means around 11% children are bearing this life-threatening disease.
• In today’s date, asthma in childhood is included in top five dangerous diseases happening at a fast pace.

Childhood Asthma Symptoms 

In some children, it is difficult to find asthma symptoms. Also, symptoms differ from child to child depending on weight, height and other factors. At times some symptoms are visible while on the next day you can see new symptoms. Parents must notice below-mentioned signs of childhood asthma:

• Stubborn cough – Mostly during the night and while playing, climbing stairs or while doing quick activities.
• Trouble in breathing – During crying, in chilled weather, 
• Fatigue – When child doesn’t get proper sleep
• Fast breathing – Running or jumping
• Low energy during the day 
• Unable to sleep because of wheezing.
• Continuous chest colds
• Chest tightness

Keep an eye on each symptom and note the timings and by performing what task it happens, all these make it easier during diagnosis. 

Childhood Asthma Causes

It is essential to precisely check the child’s surrounding area and vanishing all the things due to which asthma spike. Some of the childhood asthma causes are described below.

• Smoking – Children with the age of 13-18 years are addicted to cigarettes or cigars, slowly their lungs start taking stress and eventually become incapable. Even if children don’t smoke they should not stay in the area where people are smoking because this can affect equally. 
• Exercise –  Heavy and intense exercise in a very cold climate can directly lead to asthma. So swimming, dancing, playing sports, etc. should be completely avoided.
• Obesity – If a child’s weight is more than the age and height then asthma can easily enter the body.
• Certain irritants – Specific odors of perfume, sprays, chemicals, smog, etc. increase the chances of asthma.
• Infections and Allergies – Some food, drinks, or some insects, animals, pets, can cause asthma.

Childhood  Asthma Treatment

To make a road of a healthy and normal life for the child, parents must be aware of safe treatment methods. First of all it depends on :

• The intensity level of symptoms
• Child’s sensitivity due to side effects
• Child’s outside exposure
• Hours in inhalers

On the basis of the above-mentioned things, treatment for childhood asthma should be decided.

• Treatment for allergy-oriented Symptoms
  • Xolair – If a child has symptoms combining asthma and allergy, then Xolair is considered to be the best. As it is very powerful, its injections should be given to the children once or twice in a month. 
  • Some sprays like Ipratropium and cromolyn work wonders. 
• Quick relieving Treatments

This childhood asthma treatment instantly broadens the narrow airways, this works only for a short interval of the time and when urgency arises. 

• • Albuterol, Terbutaline, levalbuterol, maxair, xopenex and metaproterenol are very effective. They start soothing in minutes and stay for some hours.
  • Prednisone is also effective but all these medicines are specially made for a short period and if taken for a longer time then its risky and cause serious side effects.
  • Also hot coffee or tea works best if you don’t have these medicines. 
• Long-lasting Treatment
• Medicines such as Budesonide, Ciclesonide, Mometasone and fluticasone are made for long lasting asthma controllers. To get its soothing effect you must use this for several days or weeks and under doctor’s guidance. 

CHILDHOOD ASTHMA DIAGNOSIS

Asthma doesn’t show signs in some children for weeks and even months, to detect and to diagnose is difficult. In this case, the file of  past history of the child and family is also important and to describe everything starting from symptoms to the inhalers your child uses in detail to a doctor.

Doctor’s take physical tests by checking the heart rate and lungs after that eyes and nose are checked thoroughly. The next step is chest X-ray and other tests depend on the child’s age and symptoms, in children 8 or above, lung test is also done, which is known as spirometry. Peak flow monitoring is also done in some cases. For further childhood asthma diagnosis to detect the lung problem nitric oxide test is also done. 

If a child is suffering from certain allergies or infections then a skin test is also done along with RAST which is a blood test. So these are some of the childhood asthma control tests.

Childhood Asthma Outgrow

It can reduce at some stage of life or might disappear completely but not permanently after some years  or months chances are high that it might come back and if it is chronic then it is not curable. If a child’s parents or grandparents are asthma patients then it is completely impossible. So, it is possible that childhood asthma can return to adulthood.

Child’s surroundings can also impact on life and decide the outcome. If the home is near a chemical or industrial area then asthma may increase with the time. Bad lifestyle of parents smoking cigarettes or weed can affect the child’s health and lead to disease like asthma. 

Risk Factors For Childhood Asthma

• Low weight during birth and in childhood.
• Premature birth
• Whistles during breathing
• Living with allergies like dermatitis, conjunctivitis and rhinitis.

Childhood Asthma Guidelines

• It is necessary to avoid soy, peanuts, shrimps, milk, eggs, shellfish and many such things.
• If it is a toddler or small infant then breastfeeding is the best way to keep the child healthy and nourished.

Childhood Asthma Home Remedies

1. Ginger tea 
2. Omega-rich food should be added such as flaxseeds, chia seeds, etc.
3. Room of a child should be cleaned every day.
4. Don’t allow your pet or any other animal to go around your child.
5. Wash the bed sheets and pillows with the lukewarm or hot water.
6. If you are planning to take your child outside then use apps like air now or any other which shows accurate outside weather.
7. Give your child honey.
8. Add garlic in child’s meals.

Don’t feel bad when your attempts fail to cure your child’s asthma as it is very common these days and just give the best treatment to the child it can be controlled.