How Can We Avoid A Trip To The Er
How to Tell if Your Child Has Asthma
Well-managed asthma is rarely life-threatening. Taking asthma medicines as prescribed can help prevent severe asthma flare-ups and the need for emergency care. Be sure to schedule and keep follow-up visits with your doctor and to track your child’s asthma. It’s important to monitor your child’s asthma using the written asthma action plan your doctor helps you create. This plan will outline day-to-day treatment, symptoms to watch for, and step-by-step instructions to follow during a flare-up. Taking asthma seriously and working to manage it can make it less likely that your child will need to go to the ER. What Are The Symptoms Of Asthma In Older ChildrenSymptoms of asthma in children who are 6 years of age or older can range from a nagging cough that lingers for days or weeks to sudden and scary breathing emergencies. Common symptoms include:
Face Masks And Spacer DevicesMost young children will be prescribed a face mask which attaches to their inhaler. Older children will be prescribed a ‘spacer device’. A spacer device is a plastic or metal container with a mouthpiece and a hole for the inhaler. If your child has been prescribed a face mask or a spacer device, it is important to always use these. Face masks and spacers are the best way of making sure that your child gets the correct dose of medication right to their lungs. You May Like: What Happens If You Smoke Weed With Asthma To Confirm The Diagnosis The Following Tests May Be Performed
In this section: Diagnosis and Lung Testing | How To Tell You Have Asthma | Your Healthcare Team Asthma is a complex disease to diagnose, and only a healthcare professional is able to make a proper diagnosis. If you are concerned that you may have asthma, contact your healthcare provider. In order to confirm an asthma diagnosis, your healthcare provider will take into account your medical and family history, allergies, and conduct lung function testing such as spirometry. Asthma Emergencies In ChildrenSymptoms of an asthma attack can worsen and develop into an asthma emergency. To prepare for an asthma emergency, make sure your childs doctor has written an asthma action plan for your child. Have a copy of your childs asthma action plan pinned up somewhere easy to access at home, and send a copy to anyone who cares for your child, including their school, kinder, childcare service, family members and friends. You may like to take a photo of their asthma action plan so you always have a copy with you. You May Like: Does Ibuprofen Make Asthma Worse Whats An Asthma AttackWhen you breathe normally, muscles around your airways are relaxed, letting air move easily. During an asthma attack, three things can happen:
Also Check: Bronchial Asthma Symptoms In Adults What Causes Asthma In Infants And ToddlersWe still do not know what causes some people to get asthma. If a child has a family history of asthma or allergies, a specific allergy or had a mother who smoked during pregnancy, they have a higher chance of getting asthma early in life. A respiratory virus, an illness that occurs in the lungs, is one of the most common causes of asthma symptoms in children 5 years old and younger. Although both adults and children experience respiratory infections, children have more of them. Some preschool children get viral infections often. At least half of children with asthma show some sign of it before the age of 5. Viruses are the most common cause of acute asthma episodes in infants 6 months old or younger. You May Like: Is Asthma Worse At Night Treating Your Childs AsthmaThere are two types of medications commonly used to treat asthma: controller medications, meant to decrease the underlying inflammation and reliever, or rescue, medications, which calm the symptoms of an asthma exacerbation or attack, like coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath. There are a few kinds of controller medications, but the most commonly prescribed is a corticosteroid thats taken every day using an inhaler . Less commonly, daily pills are used to control asthma. Asthma relievers, or rescue medications, are used to open up the airways when asthma symptoms, such as coughing or wheezing, are present. Ideally, your childs asthma will be well-controlled with an inhaled corticosteroid and these medications will not be used very often. Relievers are always taken by inhaler to get the medication to the lungs quickly. Parents work closely with their childs doctor to make sure the medications are working as they should and to check whether the dose or type of medication needs adjusting. Your doctor might give you something called an Asthma Action Plan, which outlines what medication your child should be taking on a regular basis and when to give the rescue inhaler or seek medical attention. It can be helpful to work with an asthma or respiratory educator who can help you fine-tune your understanding of the medications and symptoms, says Andrea White Markham, a registered respiratory therapist and certified respiratory educator. What Are The Signs My Child May Have Asthma
How to tell if your child has Asthma
Although 80-90% of asthmatics are diagnosed as children, its not always easy to know if this disease is whats making your child unwell. Young children arent always able to articulate their symptoms, and asthma in children can look different than asthma in adults. To help you know whether or not your child could have asthma, here are the top signs to look for: Recommended Reading: How To Make A Homemade Inhaler For Asthma Making Er Trips Less StressfulPlanning can make trips to the ER less stressful for you and your child. Here are some tips to try:
Be Partners In Asthma ManagementAs soon as your child is old enough, make sure he or she understands the asthma action plan and the importance of following it. Some kids with asthma, especially teens, resist taking long-term control medicines and rely instead on their quick-relief medicines to help them on an as-needed basis. This is never a good idea and will increase the chances of needing emergency care. The chances of a serious asthma flare-up can be reduced if parents and kids understand and follow the action plan. And remember to call your doctor even during early flare-ups or if you have questions about your action plan. Reviewed by: Nicole A. Green, MDDate reviewed: May 2013 Note: All information on KidsHealth is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. Recommended Reading: How Many People Have Asthma In The Usa Managing Your Childs AsthmaA team will help you manage your childs asthma. This may include your doctor, practice nurse, asthma educator and pharmacist. Asthma is treated with inhalers known as relievers and preventers to relax and open the airways, and reduce the swelling and narrowing inside them.
Your doctor, nurse or asthma educator will help you learn how to:
Theyll also help you develop a treatment plan for asthma episodes and upper respiratory infections. My Baby Is Wheezing Is It AsthmaMy baby is wheezing. The doctor wants her to get breathing treatments through a . Im worried! Could she have asthma? Audrey Probably not. Many babies and young children wheeze due to or viruses and dont develop when theyre older. Young kids are more at risk for wheezing because their airways are very small. When they get a cold or other respiratory tract infection, these already small passages swell and fill with mucus much more easily than an older childs or an adults. This can cause wheezing, , and other symptoms that people with asthma get. Another thing to consider is how often your baby wheezes. One instance of wheezing isnt enough to diagnose asthma. It must happen more than once. But even when wheezing happens a bunch of times, it still might not be asthma, especially in young children. Most kids who wheeze as infants outgrow it and dont have asthma when they get older. So doctors usually cant make an asthma diagnosis until children are older, by about age 4 or 5. In the meantime, doctors will treat any asthma-like symptoms. They may prescribe asthma medicines, but probably wont officially diagnose a child with asthma unless symptoms continue.
The doctor may ask if your child has breathing problems in different circumstances, such as during a cold or when exposed to: Also Check: Are Chihuahuas Good For Asthma Asthma Patterns In ChildrenEvery childs asthma is different. Some children have mild, occasional episodes of asthma or only show symptoms after exercising, or when they have a cold. Some experience daily symptoms, while others have symptoms continuously, which limit their level of activity. Each pattern of asthma requires a different treatment approach. It is important to remember that children can still have a severe and even life-threatening attack, even if they generally have mild or occasional asthma. What To Do In An EmergencyFollow these steps if your child is having an asthma attack:
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November 2022
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