How to Help Young Children with Asthma
Author: Dana Fenton
More than 9 million children in the United States suffer from asthma. It is one of the most serious chronic illnesses among children and is more prevalent among males than females. Over the past two decades, the percentage of children who suffer from asthma has increased dramatically. Of the 24 million cases of asthma diagnosed each year, at least one-third occur in children under the age of 18.
Asthma is a lung disease, occurring when the airways become narrowed or blocked, and breathing becomes labored or difficult. The condition is characterized in one of two ways, either allergic (extrinsic or outside of the body) and non-allergic (intrinsic or inside the body).
Asthma Symptoms in an Infant or Toddler:
- Noisy breathing or breathing at a rate of 50% more than normal (Normal respiration rates: newborns 30-60 breaths per minute, 1st year 20-40 breaths per minute and 2nd year 20-30 breaths per minute). Note: If your child is breathing faster/slower than normal, seek medical attention immediately.
- Panting and wheezing during normal activities
- Fatigue or disinterest in normal activities
- Difficulty eating or sucking
- Crying is not as loud as normal
- Cyanosis (blue appearance)
- Flared nostrils
- Chest retractions (rapid and deep movement of chest and stomach during inhalation)
- Expanded chest (does not deflate when child exhales)
- Failure to respond or recognize parents or caregiver
Common Symptoms of Asthma in Young Children:
- Coughing
- Chest tightness
- Wheezing
- Shortness of Breath
There are different things in the environment that can trigger an allergic asthma attack and each person is different. Such common triggers include: cold air, exercise, allergens, dust mites, mold, pet dander, cockroaches, and viral infections.
Because infants and children have smaller airways than an adult, having a tightened airway can make breathing extremely difficult in younger children. Asthma can prove difficult to diagnose in infants and small children because the symptoms can mimic other health conditions.
To properly diagnose asthma in young children, the pediatrician will need a physical, full medical history, information about family members who suffer from asthma, and foods or environmental triggers that set off bouts of asthma or breathing problems. Having all this information will assist the pediatrician in making an accurate diagnosis. If further testing is needed, the pediatrician may make a referral to a pediatric allergist or pulmonologist (lung specialist).
Asthma in children is treated much the same way it is in adults, using the same medications only in smaller dosages. The preferred medication comes in an inhalation form which acts much faster than other types of asthma drugs. Medications can also come in pill or liquid form. The two main types of medication used to treat childhood asthma include, but are not limited to:
- Bronchodilators (for fast acting relief of asthma symptoms)
- Corticosteroids (for long-term management of asthma)
There are things a parent can do to control the environment and reduce allergy triggers that result in a child experiencing an asthma attack. The first thing to do is check the child's bedroom for possible allergens and cover the pillows, mattress, and box spring with allergen-proof casings. Wash bed linens on a weekly basis in 130° water, use washable carpeting and stuffed toys, vacuum the bedroom 3-4 times per week, do not allow pets to have access to the room, do not smoke in the house, and use HEPA filters.
More than 50% of children who experience asthma outgrow the condition once they reach adolescence. However, the condition never entirely goes away and asthma symptoms can vary through the years. There is no way to accurately predict which children will experience a reduction in symptoms as they get older, but with proper treatment and the right medications, asthma is a condition that can be managed and controlled.
