At the Allergy & Asthma Center, the goal of your asthma specialist is to treat your child's asthma symptoms and enable your child to live, play and sleep freely. For more information pleaseGive us a callor bookconsult online.We take care of patientsLawrenceville GA, Atlanta, GA,Conyers GA,Suwanee GA, Duluth GA, Grayson GA, Decatur GA, Brookhaven GA, Lithonia GA and Covington GA.
Index:
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Asthma in Children?What triggers asthma?How does your asthma specialist diagnose a child with asthma?How do you treat asthma in children?
Asthma is one of the most common medical problems in childhood. According to statistics from the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Health Statistics, asthma affects more than six million children under the age of 18 and is the third leading cause of pediatric hospitalizations. The direct medical costs of this condition exceed US$11 billion, and the indirect costs (e.g., lost parental productivity) add up to an additional US$5 billion. Childhood deaths from asthma are rare, but more than 4,000 people in the United States die from the disease each year. Allergy sufferers play an important and crucial role in the management of childhood asthma and, more importantly, in the prevention of asthma symptoms.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Asthma in Children?
Asthma usually occurs in the first few years of life. It usually begins with an upper respiratory tract infection, which can be caused by a variety of viruses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Children usually have the most noticeable symptom, a cough, although wheezing and difficulty breathing may be present. Asthma symptoms are often worse at night and can be triggered or aggravated by play/exertion or emotions such as crying or laughing. Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing are also common symptoms and can occur ten to fifteen minutes after you start exercising or playing. When breathing is obstructed, young children can have swollen nostrils, and some asthmatics speak in short sentences or become restless during episodes. It's important to note that many asthmatics, especially children, may not recognize or report the signs of an asthma attack until it becomes quite severe.
What triggers asthma?
Upper respiratory tract infections, most commonly the common cold, are common triggers of asthma attacks in young children. Allergies also play an important role in asthma attacks and their chronic symptoms. Common allergens include house dust, dust mites, dog and cat dander, mold, cockroaches, and seasonal pollen. Children with asthma are particularly vulnerable to second-hand cigarette smoke. Research has shown that tobacco smoke is directly correlated with wheezing in early childhood, as well as with doctor visits and hospital stays. Poor air quality, strong odors such as household cleaners, and other airborne irritants play a role in many asthma exacerbations in young children.
How does your asthma specialist diagnose a child with asthma?
Many children are diagnosed early with reactive airway disease (RAD) or recurrent bronchitis. It is necessary for your allergist to take a detailed history of a child's symptoms, physical exam, and their response to medications in order to make or confirm the diagnosis of asthma. Chest X-rays are sometimes helpful to rule out other causes of wheezing. The allergist will also use lung function tests to help decide on the diagnosis and severity of a child's asthma. In the lung function test, the patient blows into a computer and can be used on children, usually over the age of five or six. Allergies often play a role in asthma in young children, and your allergist can perform in-office allergy skin tests for dust mites, mold, pollen, etc. to help decide on the diagnosis. Based on this information, your allergist will recommend a comprehensive treatment plan for your child aimed at reducing or eliminating asthma symptoms.
How do you treat asthma in children?
The goal of your asthma specialist is to control your child's asthma symptoms and enable them to live, play and sleep freely. A peak flow meter may be recommended, as may an asthma action plan. The specialist doctor often points out to the parents the correct use of inhalers, spacers such as the inner tube and nebulisers. Rescue medications such as beta agonists may be prescribed. Asthma controllers or preventative medications such as inhaled steroids in leukotriene blockers are often used for chronic symptoms. Your asthma specialist follows specific National Institutes of Health guidelines for young children with asthma. Avoidance of allergens and other airborne irritants, such as cigarette smoke and air pollution, will help prevent or further control symptoms.
If it is determined that you or your child is allergic to dust mites, it is imperative that you do everything you can to minimize exposure to these pesky creatures.
Note, however, that it is impossible to completely avoid exposure to dust mites, and that it is unreasonable to expect someone to "dust-proof" the entire home. However, there are some very important things that can and should be done in a person's bedroom to significantly reduce exposure to dust mites and their allergenic residues. Make every effort to eliminate dust mites in the allergy sufferer's bedroom. We all deserve to sleep in a healthy, allergy-free environment!
We strongly recommend the following guidelines.
PREPARATION
– Completely empty the room as if you are moving.
– Empty and clean all cupboards and store unused contents elsewhere if possible.
– Store clothes in ziplock plastic bags and shoes in off-floor boxes.
– Remove carpet if possible.
– Thoroughly clean and scrub wood and floors to remove all traces of dust.
– Clean hardwood, tile or linoleum floors with water, wax or oil.
– Keep doors and windows closed until the dust-sensitive person is ready to use the room.
MAINTENANCE
– Wear a filter mask when cleaning.
– Thoroughly and thoroughly clean the room once a week.
– Clean floors, furniture, door tops, window frames and sills, etc. with a damp cloth or mop.
– Vacuum carpets and upholstery thoroughly at regular intervals.
– Use a special filter on the vacuum cleaner or a HEPA vacuum cleaner.
- Wash curtains frequently at 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
– Ventilate the area well.
CARPETS AND FLOORS
– Carpet makes dust control almost impossible. While shaggy rugs are the worst kind, if you're sensitive to dust, all rugs will trap dust mites and be a potential nuisance. Therefore, your allergist will likely recommend hardwood, tile, linoleum, or other hard-surface flooring.
– Treating carpets with a commercially available tannic acid solution can help eliminate some dust mite allergens. However, tannic acid is not as effective as carpet removal, irritates some people, and requires repeated applications.
BEDS AND LINEN (This is very important!)
- Fit any dustproof or allergen proof mattress and pillow with zip!
– Only use washable materials for bedding. Sheets, blankets, and other bedding should be washed frequently in water that is at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower temperatures do not kill dust mites.
– If you set the hot water temperature lower (usually to prevent children from getting burned), wash the items in a dry cleaner with high washing temperatures.
– Only use synthetic mattress protectors.
– Avoid fluffy wool blankets or feather or wool blankets and mattress protectors. Hypoallergenic blankets and duvets are recommended.
FURNITURE AND FURNITURE
– Keep furniture and fixtures to a minimum.
– Avoid upholstered furniture and blinds. Use leather furniture whenever possible.
– Only use a wooden or metal chair that can be wiped clean with a damp cloth.
– Only use smooth, light and washable curtains on windows.
- Keep clutter to a minimum.
AIR CONTROL
- While air filters aren't directly helpful for dust mites (because they're not airborne), they can reduce allergen levels in the bedroom. Electrostatic and HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Absorption) filters can effectively remove many other allergens from the air.
– A dehumidifier can be helpful as dust mites need high humidity to live and grow.
ROOM FOR CHILDREN
– Keep dusty toys out of the children's room.
– Limit the number of stuffed animals and toys to a few favourites. Wash them frequently in hot water as above.
– Ideally, only use washable toys made of wood, rubber, metal or plastic.
– Store toys in a closed box or suitcase.
PETS
– Keep all animals with fur or feathers out of the bedroom. If you are allergic to dust mites, you may also be allergic or develop an allergy to cats, dogs, or other animals.
While these steps may seem difficult at first, they become easier with experience and habit. The results—better breathing, fewer medications, and greater freedom from allergies and asthma attacks—will be worth the effort.
Additional allergy and asthma services
▸Allergy Vaccines
▸Allergietests
▸Asma
▸Bronchodilatatoren
▸drug allergy
▸food allergy
▸insect allergy
▸Nasal/sinus allergies
▸Pediatric Allergy
▸pediatric asthma
▸Skin allergy
▸spring allergies