Asthma is a common disease, affecting up to 10% of children, or 5-9 million American children alone. If your child has recently been diagnosed with asthma, you may have some questions about this serious disease.

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a disease that makes breathing difficult for your child. It may cause coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. This happens when the airways begin to constrict and fill with mucus. Asthma can be a very frightening experience for you and your child, but it is important to stay calm. Panicking will only make the asthma attack worse.

What Causes Asthma?

• The cause of asthma is not fully understood.
• It seems that children who have asthma have extra sensitive airways and are more susceptible to triggers like dander, smoke, or cold air.
• Asthma seems to run in families, so if you have a family history of asthma, you should reduce your child’s exposure to these triggers. Reducing exposure will reduce the chance of your child developing asthma.
• You should never smoke around your child. Children who have been exposed to cigarette smoke have a higher rate of asthma than children who are smoke-free.
• Asthma is also linked to air pollution, dust mites, mold, and pets.

What Are the Symptoms of Asthma?

Your child may have asthma if he or she is exhibiting the following symptoms:

• Persistent cough, even without wheezing
• Episodes of wheezing and coughing that occur repeatedly and do not improve in 7-10 days.

If you think your child might have asthma, you should see your health practitioner immediately. Asthma can kill if left untreated, so don’t delay.

What are Some Asthma Triggers?

The most common triggers for asthma are:

• Pollution
• Cigarette smoke
• Pet dander
• Exercise
• Dust mites
• Mold

Is There a Cure for Asthma?

No, there is no cure for asthma. However, with treatment your child can live a normal, healthy, active life. Many children’s symptoms lessen or disappear altogether as they age.

What Treatments Are Available?

There are many treatments available. Your health practitioner may prescribe two different kinds of medications: one daily medication to prevent asthma attacks, and a fast-acting inhaler to deal with asthma attacks when they occur. You should always use these medications as directed. However, they may have side effects of which you should be aware.

What Are Other Natural Ways to Prevent Asthma?

A healthy diet and exercise will help keep your body healthy and manage your asthma. Be sure to feed your kids a balanced diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and vital nutrients. Avoid processed foods, saturated fats, and sugary foods.

Although exercise may sometimes exacerbate asthma, if you manage your child’s asthma effectively, he or she should be able to do all the activities that the other children do. An active lifestyle is important for your child’s health.

Sources

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/asthmainchildren.html

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/asthma/asthma.html