Breathe Easier: You CAN manage your child's asthma
What childhood disease results in 10.1 million lost school days each year and is the leading cause of hospitalization for children in the United States? It's asthma. And it affects more than 4.4 million American children.
What is asthma?
The asthma attack
What should a parent look for?
Effective ways to manage your child's asthma
What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic airway disease that's triggered by allergies, viral infections, exercise or irritants in the air. During an asthma attack, the lining of the airways becomes inflamed and swollen, and muscle spasms constrict airflow to the lungs. This causes shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing and chest tightness. Asthma can occur at any age, but it's most common in children and can even occur in infants.
"Asthma can't be cured, but it can be controlled," says
Eric Glasofer, MD, PhD, chief of pediatric allergy and immunology at Virtua West Jersey Hospitals. "Today's treatment for asthma focuses on preventing an asthma attack. With proper management, most children enjoy normal, active lives and play sports with few symptoms." Now, asthma symptoms are easier to control because of improved medicines, such as inhaled steroids and devices like inhalers and nebulizers that deliver medicine directly to the lungs with few side effects.
The attack
"People generally think of asthma in terms of episodes or attacks," says
Thomas O'Donnell, MD, chief of pediatrics at Virtua Memorial Hospital Burlington County. "Actually, asthma is always present, but symptoms may be dormant until 'triggered' by allergens, respiratory infections, cold weather, or other irritants."
The duration of an asthma attack can vary depending on the trigger that caused it and how long the airways have been inflamed. "While mild episodes may last only a few minutes, more severe episodes can last from hours to days," says Dr. O'Donnell, who has been treating kids in South Jersey for over 22 years.
What should a parent look for?
According to Goldie Markowitz, RN, APN, pediatric advanced practice nurse at Virtua Health children may experience different symptoms if their asthma is getting worse. Symptoms to look for include inability to finish sentences because of shortness of breath, fatigue after little or no exercise, and coughing that's worse at night. Left untreated, symptoms may progress to difficulty breathing and respiratory distress. At Virtua, patients with asthma receive individualized treatment plans that include education on asthma symptoms, triggers and medications, and a support group.
Although no cure exists for asthma, there are effective treatments. "Children with asthma can be normally active, but they need help bringing the disease under control," says Dr. Glasofer, who is board certified in pediatrics and allergy and immunology. His best advice for parents who have children with asthma: "Know what triggers an attack and help them avoid those triggers."
The Virtua Health Asthma Quick Guide helps parents track their child's asthma symptoms, triggers and medications. For a copy, call
1-888-Virtua-3 (1-888-847-8823).
Effective ways to manage your child's asthma
If you suspect your child has asthma, parents are advised to do the following:
 | See your child's pediatrician or family physician for a proper diagnosis. You may be referred to an asthma specialist for further evaluation and treatment. |
| Understand your child's medications, their purpose and side effects, and how to use them. |
| Carefully avoid environmental factors that trigger asthma attacks such as cigarette smoke, animal dander and pollen. |
| Remove items from your home that collect dust such as heavy draperies, rugs and stuffed animals. |
| Recognize the signs of an oncoming asthma attack, learn to judge its severity, and know when to act to prevent a full-blown attack. |