Did you know that the incidence of asthma in children has reached more than 10% in Arab countries?
What is asthma in children?
Asthma in children is a chronic lung disease that negatively affects the respiratory system and causes difficulty breathing, due to the narrowing of the airways in the lungs accompanied by bronchial inflammation and swelling. This disease requires immediate treatment so that the child is not exposed to serious respiratory crises, so it is preferable to continue treating asthma for children in its early stages.
Common causes of asthma in children
There are common causes of asthma in children, in addition to some risk factors that increase the possibility of developing the disease, although its severity varies from one case to another: The most prominent of these causes are:
- Genetic factors such as a history of a parent suffering from asthma or allergies.
- The child is exposed to air polluted by cigarette smoke, dust, or animal fur.
- Weak immune systems in children, which leads to frequent exposure to lung infections.
- Unhealthy nutrition that relies on preservatives and lacks the vitamins and minerals necessary for the body.
- Frequent exposure to respiratory infections, especially bronchitis or pneumonia, with neglect of treatment.
Asthma symptoms in children
With the start of an asthma attack, the tubes responsible for carrying air to the lungs swell and breathing becomes more difficult due to the secretion of additional mucus. Some signs begin to appear on the child and are called: Asthma symptoms In children, they include:
- ضيق في التنفس.
- A persistent cough that does not stop.
- A state of emaciation and general weakness.
- Tightness in the chest and neck muscles.
- The child's low energy and lack of activity.
- Sleep disturbances due to shortness of breath.
- Severe tightness and pain in the chest due to persistent coughing.
- A whistling sound that can be heard when inhaling and exhaling.
- Extreme difficulty swallowing food while eating, along with hearing a sound like snoring, especially with infants.
In order for your child not to be exposed to this worrying condition and to prevent the symptoms from worsening, Al Mousa Specialist Hospital offers you the best methods for diagnosing and treating asthma for children through a specialized medical team and the latest diagnostic equipment.
3 of the most important methods of treating asthma for children
After diagnosing the disease and knowing the main reason for the appearance of attacks, the doctor develops many treatment options that work on three main axes, the first of which is: alleviating the symptoms of asthma that we mentioned before, then reducing asthma attacks as much as possible, and finally improving the child’s immunity to prevent recurrent lung infections.
Inhalation medications or sprays
When treating children's asthma, doctors usually rely on inhaler medications or sprays that are used daily to reduce bronchial inflammation. The most important inhaler medications are:
- Inhaled corticosteroids such as prednisone.
- Leukotriene inhibitor medications that reduce the allergic reaction.
- Sometimes a child needs a combination bronchodilator inhaler and corticosteroids.
Bronchodilator medications
Your child needs a set of daily medications that prevent severe asthma attacks and control shortness of breath, including bronchodilators, which reduce swelling and prevent narrowing of the airway, and are divided into:
- Short-acting bronchodilators such as salbutamol to relieve asthma symptoms.
- Long-term bronchodilator medications such as formoterol.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is one of the best Methods of treating asthma For children, it works to strengthen the child's immune system and helps reduce the allergic reaction to allergens. Medicines include antihistamines, such as Montelukast, which helps the child breathe normally and reduces the reaction to allergens.
The doctor needs to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the child’s condition before choosing the appropriate method of treating asthma. Treatment depends on the child’s age, general health condition, the severity of the symptoms he is exposed to, and the causes that led to asthma, and through this, chest doctors determine عیادة أمراض الجهاز التنفسي Al Mousa Specialist Hospital determines the most appropriate medication protocol for your child.
Signs requiring asthma treatment for children in emergency care
There are some signs that warn of the development of asthma in an affected child, which require immediate going to the doctor and treatment of asthma for children in emergency care, including:
- التعرق.
- Chest pain.
- Rapid heartbeat.
- Severe wheezing sound with coughing.
- Finding it difficult to walk and talk.
- Note that the color of the lips changes to blue.
- Inability to continue speaking due to shortness of breath.
- Chest and sides pull inward during breathing.
Dealing with asthma in children
In addition to the medication protocol that doctors recommend in treating children's asthma, there are several important instructions for managing the disease that explain how to deal with it مرض الربو In children, the most important of which are:
- Ventilate the child's room well daily.
- Avoid leaving the child if dust is spreading in the air.
- Avoid strenuous activities so that the child does not experience shortness of breath.
- Educating the child and family on how to deal with a crisis at school or club.
- Avoid any places that are crowded or have air pollutants, such as the presence of smokers or car exhaust.
- Be careful not to keep pets at home so that the child is not exposed to severe allergies.
- Continuous communication with the doctor via messages for follow-up, and in the event of increased severity of symptoms, you must immediately go to the hospital.
How to deal with asthma crisis in children
deal with Asthma crisis In children, it is necessary to remain completely calm and avoid a state of tension and anxiety for the family and the child in order to control the crisis and treat children’s asthma properly, which requires taking the following steps:
- Calm the child, reassure him, and place him in a well-ventilated place.
- Have him lie down and relax to begin a quick recovery session.
- Use an inhaler that contains bronchodilator medications and repeat it after 15 minutes.
- Some cases may require the use of a nebulizer or fumigation device if the doctor approves its use.
- Constantly monitor the symptoms, especially wheezing and wheezing, and if you notice a worsening of the symptoms, you must immediately go to emergency care at Al-Mousa Specialist Hospital to do the necessary work.
There is an integrated emergency care unit at Al Mousa Specialist Hospital, which is concerned with treating asthma for children in the event of sudden attacks. It receives patients throughout the day and provides medical service at the highest level.
Asthma prevention in children
If you notice some... Allergy symptoms For your child, you can benefit from some tips that help prevent asthma in children, the most important of which are:
- Avoid placing the child in extreme weather conditions such as high humidity or extreme cold.
- If the child suffers from allergies, he should be kept away from pet fur and hair.
- Make sure to ventilate the house periodically and wipe dust from surfaces.
- Avoid foods that increase allergies such as eggs and peanuts.
- Swimming, which helps improve lung health.
- Rely on healthy nutrition for the child to strengthen the immune system.
- Control colds and flu with medications and vitamin C.
- Keep children away from places where smokers are present.
Although there are many ways to treat asthma in children, an accurate diagnosis of the condition is required before knowing the best treatment option for the child. Therefore, the medical team at Al Mousa Specialist Hospital provides you with distinguished medical service and the latest methods of diagnosing asthma in its early stages, in addition to continuous follow-up of the child throughout the stages of treatment.
الأسئلة الشائعة:
We receive many frequently asked questions about methods of treating asthma in children. We will learn about them below and answer them in detail:
How is asthma diagnosed in children?
Asthma in children is diagnosed in several ways, the first of which is a physical examination and monitoring of symptoms, then measuring the efficiency of the lungs after taking a bronchodilator medication, and finally the doctor proceeds to do a chest X-ray to confirm the infection and find out the treatment for asthma in children.
What medications are safest for children?
Bronchodilators such as salbutamol and inhalers or sprays containing cortisone are the safest for children.
How can asthma attacks be prevented?
Asthma attacks can be prevented by avoiding exposure to polluted air, preventing smoking where the sick child is, constantly cleaning the house from dust, taking asthma medications regularly, and following up periodically with the doctor.
Does exercise affect asthma in children?
Some exercises have a positive effect on the treatment of asthma in children, such as exercises to strengthen the lung muscles, but some strenuous exercises may cause sudden asthma attacks, so the doctor must be asked about the exercises allowed for the affected child.
What are the tips for dealing with asthma at school?
One of the most important tips for dealing with asthma at school is to avoid excessive physical activity and prevent the child from being exposed to dust and strong odors, along with the necessity of teaching him how to use an inhaler at school and having medications with the child constantly.
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