What to Look For
What could cause my child to develop asthma?
Doctor's still do not have a concise, clear-cut answer as to why children are developing asthma more frequently. There are several factors that may contribute to your child developing asthma including predisposition due to gene structure, lesser infections during infancy, greater exposure to indoor and outdoor environmental hazards, and even what we eat. Listed below are additional factors that could increase a child's risk of developing asthma:
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Living in a large urban area;
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Regularly breathing in cigarette smoke (including secondhand smoke);
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Regularly breathing in industrial or agricultural chemicals;
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A parent who has asthma;
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History of multiple respiratory infections during childhood;
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Low birth weight;
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Being overweight;
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Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
What are the symptoms of asthma?
Coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and difficulty breathing are the most common signs of an asthma attack. A person may have all or some of these symptoms, however coughing is the most prevalent sign of asthma in children. During an asthma attack these changes in the body occur:
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Airways in the lungs fill with more mucus than normal causing them to become blocked;
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Airways get swollen and narrower;
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Muscles around the airways tighten
In most cases, no one knows what exactly causes asthma. However, it is known that respiratory infection, stress, some medications and some foods can cause an attack. The objects in our environment that cause asthma attacks are called triggers.
When could my child develop asthma?
Asthma can be developed at any time throughout life, especially in connection with respiratory infections and medications. However, beyond infections and medications most cases of asthma are found to be developing in children between the ages of 3-6 years old.
When should my child be tested for asthma?
If your child is in continual contact with or was born into an environment where the causes of asthma are more prevalent, it would not be unwise to talk to your child's doctor about asthma and address the issue early on. Also if your child has experienced any of the symptoms of asthma with regularity you should schedule a consultation with your child's doctors as soon as possible. There are several different methods for testing for asthma:
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Peak Flow Examination: This examination involves blowing quickly and forcefully into a special instrument that measures your output of air.
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Pulmonary Function Test (PFTs): You will be asked to breathe into a machine that records information about the function of your lungs before and after the administration of a bronchodilator drug (one that opens and relaxes the bronchi, the smallest tubes bringing air into the lungs).
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Mathacholine Provocation Test: These lung function tests are performed after taking a small dose of methacholine, which causes narrowing of the airways in susceptible people.
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Allergy Tests: Allergy tests are used to find out if allergies are causing your symptoms.
What if my child needs treatment?
Upon a visit with your child's doctor the best treatment options will be discussed. However, treatment for asthma can generally be broken into two categories: long term and short term. Long-term control medications are taken daily to maintain control of persistent asthma. They primarily serve to control airway inflammation. The quick-relief medications, or short term, are taken to achieve prompt reversal of an acute asthma "attack" by relaxing the bronchial muscles.
