How to Diagnose and Treat Asthma in Children

Recently, Agnes has been in a panic. She is a first time mum and every time her newborn develops a runny nose accompanied by a cough, she rushes him to hospital fearing that he may have developed asthma like her friend's baby did. "My friend's baby has trouble breathing whenever an attack comes on and it is very frightening because at that point, I get the impression that he will not recover. My greatest fear is that my child may get asthma," Agnes says.

It is natural to get alarmed when your child develops symptoms like those of asthma but the good news is that even if he is diagnosed with the illness, the symptoms are likely to have disappeared by the time he reaches school-going age. While it is true that asthma is characterized by coughing and wheezing, these are very common in childhood and it doesn't necessarily mean that these symptoms will develop into asthma. Most young children stop wheezing and coughing as the lungs and airways mature. Since this is a common childhood illness, it is important to know as much as you can about it.

What is asthma?
Asthma simply refers to an inflammation of the airways. It causes production of excess mucous leading to coughing, wheezing and loss of breadth. These symptoms are very common in babies mainly because their airways are every narrow. That is why your doctor isn't likely to diagnose your child with asthma until he is at least two years old. However, younger babies who sneeze and cough a lot can be treated with asthma drugs. Other indications of asthma may be a persistent nighttime cough whether your child has a cold or not. If your child wheezes or coughs when he comes into contact with furry pets or animals, it may be an indication of asthma. There is also a probability that your child will develop asthma if he suffers from an allergy such as eczema or if either you or your partner has a family history of food allergies, eczema and hay fever.

Causes of asthma
Colds or viruses are the most common triggers of asthma. However, house dust mites and pollutants can also lead to asthma. Once your child's airways become inflamed, they tend to become very sensitive and just about anything, including smells such as car fumes, activities such as running, crying or breathing in cold air can make the symptoms worse or even trigger asthma. A recent study revealed that another cause of childhood asthma is smoking during pregnancy, which was seen to increase the risk of your child developing asthma by 50 percent. It is also known that asthma often runs in families and a baby with one allergic parent has a 30 percent greater chance of developing asthma than other children. This percentage doubles if both parents are allergic.

Treatment of asthma
There is no cure for asthma yet, but there are a number of treatments that can make it possible for your child to lead a normal life-one that is healthy and active. One such treatment comes in the form of inhalers and will normally be given to your baby through a spacer, which is a big, see-through container. There are two types of inhalers i.e. preventors and relievers.

i) Preventors: These are taken daily to keep attacks at bay. They work by making your child's airways less likely to overact to the allergens he breathes in. Common brands include Becotide and Pulmicort and though they contain steroids, you should not be worried since the doses involved are very low. It is also important to know that the steroids used to treat asthma are different from those used by body builders and athletes. Complementary therapies such as homeopathy, cranial osteopathy and herbalism are also effective in alleviating the symptoms of asthma. However, you should first get your doctor's approval before you combine these with your child's medication.

ii) Relievers: These make it easier for your child to breathe during an asthma attack. They work by relaxing the muscles in the airway walls. Keep them at hand incase your baby gets an attack. Common brands include Ventolin and Atrovent.

Is your baby having an asthma attack?
The following signs may indicate that your child is having an asthma attack:

-Becomes very quiet and still
-Is breathless
-Turns blue around the lips
-Needs his reliever inhaler more than once every three hours

In case of an asthma attack, remain calm, give him his reliever inhaler every few minutes and hold him upright to help him breathe more easily. If your child suffers a serious asthma attack, take him to the hospital immediately.