Asthma & Children
Asthma is common in children with more than one in ten having some symptoms. If you child coughs a lot, particularly when playing or laughing, or has chronic wheezing sounds when breathing, asthma may be the problem.
Consult your pediatrician, who will diagnose the condition and develop a treatment plan. The plan can include one or more bronchodilators, standard and emergency inhalers. Anti-inflammatory medicine may also be prescribed. It may be necessary to carefully monitor exercise. Some children grow out of asthma when they are teens, others have some asthmatic symptoms all of their lives.
Recently Answered
- Q How common is asthma in children?
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In the last several years, rates of asthma have increased around the world. Currently, an estimated 4 million children under 18 have had an asthma attack in the past 12 months, and many others have undiagnosed asthma. From Good Kids, Bad Habits: The... Full Answer
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- Q Are obese children at greater risk from asthma?
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Asthma is a lung disease in which the airways become blocked or narrowed and results in breathing difficulty. Overweight children, particularly boys, seem to be at a greater risk of developing asthma, and being overweight seems to aggravate the... Full Answer
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- Q How can I help my child adjust to an asthma diagnosis?
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If having asthma makes your child feel “weird,” you’ll need to address this feeling -- or risk having your child resist treatment. Here are a few things you can do to help your child adjust:• Do everything you can to understand... Full Answer
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- Q What should I do if my child doesn’t want to take asthma medication?
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If you find that your child isn’t taking medication properly, you need to talk about why. Keep the tone positive and encouraging. Start by pointing out what is working, and then go on to explore the following possible problems together:•... Full Answer
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- Q How can I establish a good asthma treatment routine for my toddler?
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Children have special challenges in taking daily medications. Below are some tips to help you and your child establish a good routine and work together to solve problems.• Prepare and practice together. Give very simple explanations of what... Full Answer
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- Q Why are medication routines hard for a child with allergy and asthma?
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Dr. Larry Chiaramonte, Allergy & ImmunologyWith allergies and asthma, routine is harder to establish, especially for children. Essentially, you have to establish two routines: one for yourself and one for the child. If the child is asymptomatic, you have to remind yourself to remind her to take... Full Answer
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- Q What asthma drugs are available for children?
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Dr. Larry Chiaramonte, Allergy & ImmunologyThe following drugs are used to treat asthma symptoms in children: ephedrine (Primatene): OTC, 6 years plus; bronchoconstriction only theophylline (Theo-Dur, Slo-Bid, Uniphyl): prescription, 6 months plus; bronchoconstriction only montelukast... Full Answer
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- Q How can a leukotriene antagonist help treat my child's asthma?
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Dr. Larry Chiaramonte, Allergy & ImmunologyA class of drugs considered partially anti-inflammatory are called leukotriene antagonists. These medications, such as montelukast (Singulair), zafirlukast (Accolate), and zileuton (Zyflo), work against one variety of inflammation-causing substances that... Full Answer
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- Q How can I help my child manage his asthma at school?
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Dr. Paul Ehrlich, Allergy & ImmunologyThe following steps can help your child manage asthma when he's in school: Find out who staffs the health clinic. Do they know how to administer a metered-dose inhaler or nebulizer treatment for your child? Find out if school policy allows... Full Answer
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- Q Where can I find camps for my child with asthma?
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Dr. Paul Ehrlich, Allergy & ImmunologyThe growing prevalence of asthma has forced the camp industry to accommodate asthmatic children. Mainstream camps have been compelled to add asthma safe protocols to their normal operations, which also include food allergy protections. And for those with... Full Answer
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