Why Do Children Get Asthma?

Asthma is one of the most common respiratory diseases which affect people of all ages and gender. It is defined as a chronic disorder of the lungs wherein the airways or the bronchi become narrowed. This condition can be distinguished by chronic symptoms such as obstruction of the airflow, inflammation and bronchospasm or bronchial hyper sensitivity. Although the signs and symptoms often resemble that of COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic bronchitis, inflammation with this disorder is irreversible. Alarmingly, to date asthma affects over 12% of the US population and more than 300 million around the world. In the United States alone, asthma causes around 4000 deaths annually.

Especially disturbing is the fact that the number of children with asthma has also increased over the years. As a matter of fact, it is the chief cause of chronic disorder in kids. According to statistics, there's approximately 10% to 12% of children in America that are affected by this respiratory condition and it is progressively increasing. Asthma can start at any age but most patients experience their first symptoms no later than 5 years of age.

Some of the known risk factors for developing childhood asthma include the presence of allergies in kids. Children with asthma often have family members or relatives affected by the disorder as well. It can also develop if the child suffers from recurring respiratory infections. Children exposed to smoke during conception and after birth plus those who have a low birth weight are most likely to have asthma. Studies have also shown that kids raised in impoverished environments are affected by this respiratory ailment more so than those living in a high-income environment. Recent studies show exposure to pollutants increases the susceptibility of kids to become asthmatic. Those who were born by Caesarean section are more likely to have the disorder as well since they were exposed to more bacteria during birth compared with those who are born through a vaginal delivery.

Symptoms of an impending asthma attack include severe coughing at night and during play or even while laughing. A child may also become less energetic especially during play and might complain of chest pains or tightness in that area. Parents can also note rapid breathing or wheezing when inhaling or exhaling. More labored breathing can be detected due to retractions in the chest area as well as a tightened chest and neck muscles while breathing. For kids under 5 years old, upper respiratory infections such as the common cold usually trigger asthma attacks.

Aside from keeping a record of the each attack, the best way to treat this disorder is by bringing children with asthma to a specialist so the condition can be managed. For immediate relief, especially for infants, bronchodilator medications should be given. Most doctors also recommend the use of anti-inflammatory medicines. Just make sure that the dosage of the medicine corresponds to your child's weight and age. Also, since younger kids are not able to manage their breathing suitably to use ordinary inhalers, inhaled medications can be given in a different manner.

In order to reduce the risk of your child developing asthma or having an asthma attack it would be wise to keep them away from smoke, pollutants and other allergens that could trigger an attack.

Brenda has a son with asthma who was born via C-section. At first she thought he had outgrown the disease but this fall it came back as activity onset asthma. She has a couple of air purifiers in the home that are especially helpful during the winter months. Air purifiers can be a life saver for people with allergies and asthma.

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Asthma In Toddlers And Children

The worse thing than childhood asthma is asthma in toddlers. Most children who have asthma developed the disease while they were still toddlers. With a reported 5 million American children suffering from asthma, 173 thousand of them hospitalized for severe symptoms and 864 thousand receiving emergency treatment annually, it is important that your toddler be evaluated for asthma as early as possible.

Since it is more difficult to diagnose asthma among infants and toddlers, it would be best to look for signs or symptoms that characterize the disease. Many cases of asthma deaths were due to the parents' failure to recognize the severity of the toddler's condition. Common colds and respiratory diseases such as bronchitis can exhibit asthma-like symptoms. But this does not mean you should ignore your child especially when he has difficulty in breathing or a wheezing cough.

When your toddler is diagnosed with asthma, it does not mean he will be forever afflicted with the disease. On the contrary, there are lots of documented cases where the toddler's asthma no longer persisted into adulthood. It can also be deduced from this observation that toddlers are more susceptible to asthma triggers but develops immunity as they grow older.

A toddler with asthma will have persistent cough that is hacking and congested. Sometimes the toddler may have wheezing cough and sometimes have none. In addition to this symptom, your toddler will display muscle retractions and flaring nostrils. He would also experience difficulty in breathing making feedings impossible. You will also observe your toddler rapidly breathing even while he sleeps. If you think, your toddler is breathing too rapidly, you should take him to the nearest hospital.

Another sign you should watch out for is your toddler's lack of stamina and enthusiasm during playtime. This may be because he is associating physical activities with breathing difficulties and naturally gets discouraged to join other children. Having him checked by your pediatrician can determine if your toddler has asthma.

Asthma in toddlers may be more difficult to manage. The best way to do this is to enlist the help of your care provider or his teachers. You can prepare some detailed instructions so they would know what to do in case of an asthma episode. Your toddler's pediatrician can help you prepare this set of instructions.

You should never take your toddler to a smoky place since cigarette smoke can easily trigger an asthma attack. Your pediatrician can test your child's sensitivity to dust mite protein. Sometimes, parents overlook the fact that stuffed toys are hosts to these dust mites. During falls and spring seasons when levels of pollen are high, you should limit your toddler's outdoor activities.

Emotional stress is also considered to be a trigger factor. Not only does it cause an asthma attack but it could also worsen asthma symptoms. Anxiety or panic attacks should be dealt with reasonable calm to help relax your child. The moment your toddler calms down you can administer treatment such as bronchodilator medication.

Keep your children safe and protect them from elements that can lead to long-term damage. These kinds of problems can haunt them through adulthood, so take caution when it comes to your young loved ones.

Article provided by Sven Ullmann, who runs Deserved Health - a site dedicated to different health related articles. Read more about the Asthma in Toddlers and Children.

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Recognizing A Childhood Asthma Attack

There are no set symptoms of childhood asthma attack. The symptoms vary from one child to another. Even the causes for these types of attacks are also often different in different children. In order to recognize these attacks, you will have to be very careful. The basic idea is to educate yourself about the various possible causes and symptoms. The more informed you are, the easier it will be for you to recognize if your child is suffering from any such thing. Once you recognize the symptoms, you are strongly recommended to get urgent medical assistance to the child. Following are some of the possible symptoms that you have to look out for.

The Time Of Attack
When it comes to recognizing childhood asthma attack, the first thing that you have to understand is that these attacks occur only when the symptoms go worse. Your child may not show any symptoms for years and all of a sudden you may find him/her in a serious attack of asthma. So, be very careful when your child is hit with a flu, cold, or allergy. Most people consider it normal, as they think it happens because of the weather changes - though it is true, but not always. So, every time your child is hit with any such thing, you must get him/her thoroughly checked up for asthma as well. Excess stress has also been found to be one of the major causes for such attacks. So make sure your child is not over stressed about anything.

Some Common Symptoms
Though there are no direct symptoms that can help you recognize childhood asthma attack, but you must be watchful of some common symptoms, such as Shortness of breath, Profuse sweating, Pale complexion, Trouble speaking, Chest pain and/or pressure, rapid breathing, Inability to stop coughing, Wheezing when breathing both in and out, Difficulty in breathing, and other symptoms that get worse despite use of medications.

"Silent Chest" Is Not A Sign Of Improvement
Sometimes, after use of certain medications, the chest goes silent (the coughing and wheezing stops). This is often considered as a sign of improvement, but most of the times it is not. In fact, when the asthma is not treated properly, it causes the lungs to tighten that makes it impossible for the air to circulate, which eventually causes the coughing and wheezing to stop. It can be a very dangerous thing because it may even affect the ability of the child to speak. The cyanosis may start developing, which is a specific situation of the child when their fingernails and lips start turning blue. This is a very emergency situation when you have no other option but to get your child admitted to the emergency ward of the hospital.

So, don't wait until you recognize childhood asthma attack. You must get your child medically checked up thoroughly every time it shows some unusual symptoms no matter how small it is. Immediate medical attention is needed in case the health of your child doesn't improve (such as coughing or shortness of breathe) even after use of medications for weeks.

There are definite warning signs and symptoms that can be associated with asthma in children. These symptoms can vary from child to child, and gaining an insight to such warning signs is the very first step that you can take to prevent a childhood asthma attack.

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Common Asthma Symptoms In Children

Each year, almost half a million children end up in the emergency room as a result of asthma conditions. More than half of those require at least one day of hospitalization due to their asthma symptoms. Asthma accounts for more hospital visits and stays than any other chronic disease during childhood.

It also results in more absences from school than any other childhood sickness. When these days are combined with the sick days that parents take to stay home and care for their kids, the financial effects of childhood asthma can be almost as significant as the emotional effects.

Despite the number of children suffering from asthma, not all cases are known. There are a large number of kids suffering from what has become known as "hidden asthma" where the symptoms are dismissed as those of a cold, bronchitis or some other less serious condition.

Because the symptoms are often quite similar to these other conditions, children often don't receive the proper treatment for their asthma. If a child seems to be prone to catching colds or waking up in the night coughing, it could be a sign of an asthma problem. This is also the case with kids who seem to get winded quickly when playing games or sports.

Some of the most common symptoms of asthma in children include:

Wheezing

While wheezing isn't the most common symptom, it is certainly one of the most obvious. If your child's breathing produces a whistling sound, it could be a sign of airway obstruction, a common symptom of asthma.

While wheezing can be caused by other conditions as well, it is best to check with your child's doctor to get a proper diagnosis at the first sign of the problem.

Coughing

Coughing is likely the most common symptom of childhood asthma and in many cases is the only one. If your child's cough is persistent and continues after any other cold symptoms are gone (or none are apparent at all), if they cough during any kind of physical activity or if they have a rattling cough with no production, it could be a sign of an asthma problem.

Tightness in the Chest

Sometimes children will complain that their chest hurts or that they can't seem to catch their breath, but in many cases they can't really explain the feeling effectively. Watch for signs that they're having trouble breathing, such as pursed lips or flared nostrils. If the difficulty breathing is severe you may even see the hollow of their throat moving in and out as they struggle to get air to their lungs.

Jackson Sperry writes about occupational asthma and other related topics at http://asthmarelief.devhub.com/

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Common Triggers of Child Asthma

Although Asthma is a disease that can be explained and it is usually caught during childhood, there is no medical definite as to what causes a person to be afflicted with it. This aliment, simply put, is the irritation of the airways that can result in wheezing and shortness of breath.

Due to this condition of the lungs, symptoms such as wheezing and shortness of breath can be trigger by several things and some of these things are:

Viral Infections

These are sicknesses such as a cold, flu and a sore throat.

Weather

Sometimes the weather can be too hot, too cold, or perhaps too windy, for a child who has this disease and it is not under control yet.

Exercises

Here again, if your child's asthma is not under control, exercising can cause them to cough uncontrollably, only to be followed by difficulty breathing. Exercising also borderline playing activities such as tag and follow the leader.

Stress

Increasingly, children are faced with stressful situations and their home and school life and or a sporting group, can be the trigger of the stress.

Smoke

The smoke from a tobacco product, such as a cigarette, the fumes from a vehicle and from burning trash, such as papers, can affect an asthmatic child.

Household Odors

This can be air freshener, insect repellents and cleaning solutions.

A few other things such as animal danger, mould, plants and flowers also triggers and although this is a chronic (lifelong) condition, these symptoms can be brought under control to the point that its symptoms no longer appear, with the help of a doctor.

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