Asthma is one of the ongoing chronic diseases among children. Asthma in children can start at any age, though most children who have asthma show their first symptom by age 5.
Some of the possible reasons for children getting asthma are;
- Children are exposed to more allergens like air pollution, dust, and second-hand or third-hand smoke.
- Children’s weak immune system.
Asthmatic symptoms in children can be reduced by following an asthma action plan from an expert paediatrician. In this asthma action plan, the doctor tracks a child’s asthma symptoms and adjusts its treatment accordingly. If you want to consult a paeditrician at the best pediatric hospital in Gurgaon, contact the CK Birla Hospital for your child and give him/her asthma free childhood.
Risk Factors for Developing Asthma in Children
There are various risk factors for developing childhood asthma. These include:
- Allergies
- Upper respiratory viral infections like a common cold.
- Low birth weight.
- Frequent respiratory infections.
- Family history of asthma, atopy, and allergies
- Exposure to tobacco smoke
Signs and Symptoms of Asthma in Children
Not all children have similar asthma symptoms. Some common symptoms and signs of asthma in children include:
- Coughing
- Rapid breathing
- Chest pain
- Whistling sound (wheezing) while breathing in or out.
- Shortness of breath
- Tightened neck and chest muscles
- Feelings of tiredness or weakness
If your child has breathing difficulties, take him/her to the paediatrician for diagnosing and treatment.
Tips to Control Asthma in Children by Expert Paediatrician
Managing a child’s asthma can be a difficult task for parents- following these simple steps will help make it easier.
- Learn about asthma
An important part of managing a child’s asthma is learning about the disease. As a parent, you should know about simple steps you could take on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis to improve your child’s asthma condition. These steps include,
- Understand the different medications for asthma and how to use them.
- Record signs and symptoms that affect your child’s asthma.
- Know what to do when the child’s asthma gets worse.
2. Track records on a notepad.
Doctors always ask parents to keep a detailed track report of what’s been happening with their child’s asthma progress plan for a better outcome.
Things to track
- How long has the child been wheezing?
- What triggered the start of symptoms?
- The number of hospital visits.
- Medications prescribed by the doctor.
- How frequently does your child need to be medicated?
- Do prescribed medicines have any side effects on your child?
- How often does your child require medications to treat acute symptoms?
3. Tips to control asthma triggers
Controlling asthma triggers will be helpful to manage asthma in children. Some common asthma triggers are:
- Cold or other respiratory infections.
- Furry pets, such as cats, dogs, guinea pigs, and hamsters, could trigger asthma symptoms as they have small dust particles on their body.
- Sometimes outdoor allergens, like trees and grasses, may trigger seasonal asthma in children. Your child’s doctor may suggest an allergy test to find out what your child is allergic to.
4. Know what tests to request
Have a brief knowledge about tests required for asthma:
- Spirometry
Spirometer test is generally used to diagnose asthma in people above the age of 5 years. This test helps to determine how well the lungs are working. For this, a patient should take a deep breath (inhale) and forcibly breathe out (exhale) into a tube connected to a spirometer. This will record both the amount of air inhaled and how quickly the air is being exhaled. Certain measurements will indicate if the patient has asthma or not.
- Lung test in children
Doctors usually do lung tests in children under age 5. The diagnosis is based on a child’s symptoms, physical examination, and medical history. It is difficult to diagnose asthma in young kids because there are several conditions that cause asthma-like symptoms in young kids.
If your child’s doctor has doubts about asthma, the doctor may prescribe a bronchodilator medicine (that opens the airways). If the medicine improves the child’s symptoms, your child may have asthma.
Final Thoughts
Following and updating the child’s asthma action plan is the most important step to keep asthma under control. Always track the child’s asthma symptoms, and make medication changes as per the doctor’s advice. Consult with an expert paediatrician at the CK Birla Hospital, one of the best paediatric hospitals in Gurgaon, for your child’s best experience.