Conventional Treatment Options for Pediatric Asthma

According to The New York Times, the most common approaches to treating pediatric asthma are as follows:

1. Identify Triggers and Avoid Them
You need to be able to identify exactly what is triggering your child's asthma symptoms. After these symptoms have been identified, it's important to avoid them. Some common triggers are pet dander, abrupt changes in the weather (typically colder weather), chemicals in the food or in the air, dust, mold, pollen, smoking, and viral infections.

2. Medication
Your child may need to be put on an inhaler or a similar drug treatment. This will have to be discussed with your child's doctor. Some examples of medication used are:

A. Metered-Dose Inhaler
This inhaler allows accurate doses of the medication to be delivered straight to the lungs.
(i.e. ProAir-HFA Albuterol Sulfate)

B. Breath-Actuated Inhalers
This inhaler takes the medicated dose to the back of the throat, as the patient inhales.
(i.e. ASPIRA TM)

C. Dry-Powder Inhalers
This inhaler transfers a powdered arrangement of beta2-agonists and/or corticosteroids straight into the lungs.
(i.e. 3M Conix™ Dry Powder Inhaler)

D. Nebulizers
This device is a machine that delivers an exact spray of medication-containing liquid. These are often used for children under 3 years of age and are sometimes used for older children.
(i.e. A jet nebulizer)

3. Monitor Your Child's Exposure
It is important to monitor your child at home. Make your home a safe place, where you know attacks will not be liable to happen. Keep your home free of any allergens or triggers that could bring on an attack.

4. Good Communication
Your child needs to have good communication with his/her doctor. Which includes mentioning any new symptoms and telling them if any known symptoms have become severe or if there has been any allergic reactions to any treatment(s) given. This will help the patient's doctor aware of how his/her asthma is doing, and if any new treatments or alternate treatments need to be started.

5. Let Others Know
Lastly, make sure your child's school, daycare, workplace, etc. is a safe haven. It's important that you discuss your child's asthma symptoms, triggers, etc.. with your child's teacher(s), employers, etc.. Make sure that if your child is on medication, that this is brought with them at all times in case an attack is sporadically brought on.