Asthma is a chronic disease that causes the airways - the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs - to become sore and swollen. In the United States, about 20 million people have asthma. Nearly 9 million of them are children. Children have smaller airways than adults, which makes asthma especially serious for them. Children with asthma may experience wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and trouble breathing, especially early in the morning or at night. Asthma affects the airways of the lungs (the bronchi) and causes them to become inflamed and swollen. The bronchi are small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs.
Causes Of Asthma
Inflammation of the airways is the common finding in all asthma patients. Recent studies indicate that this inflammation is virtually always causative in the asthmatic condition. This inflammation is produced by allergy, viral respiratory infections, and airborne irritants among others.
Symptoms Of Asthma
1. Frequent coughing spells, which may occur during play, at night, or while laughing. It is important to know that cough may be the only symptom present.
2. Less energy during play
3. Rapid breathing
4. Children may be out of breath after a physical activity, such as walking. They can talk in sentences and lie down, and they may be restless. The feeding may be with interruption, therefore, the infant takes longer to finish the feed.
5. The child may feel like the chest is tight or won't expand when breathing in, or there may be pain in the chest with or without other symptoms of asthma, especially in exercise-induced or nocturnal asthma.
Asthma Diagnosed In Children?
Asthma is often difficult to diagnose in infants. However, in older children the disease can often be diagnosed based on your child's medical history, symptoms, and physical exam.
Your child's doctor will be interested in any history of breathing problems you or your child may have had, as well as a family history of asthma, allergies, a skin condition called eczema, or other lung disease. It is important that you describe your child's symptoms -- cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness -- in detail, including when and how often these symptoms have been occurring.
Treatment of Asthma in Children
Most kids with asthma will have their first episode before they go to school. But as kids get older their asthma triggers often change. The best treatment is a two-pronged approach to care: prevention and treatment. Listen to experts talk about options for school-aged kids.
Babies and small children need early treatment for asthma symptoms to prevent severe breathing problems. They may have more serious problems than adults because their bronchial tubes are smaller. Although it may appear that occasional treatment with medications for children with mild asthma is enough, one review has noted that one-third of fatal asthma attacks occurred in children with mild asthma.
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