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Asthma in Children
Home » Diseases » Asthma » Asthma in ChildrenAbout half of the children who suffer with asthma have inherited the condition from their parents. The other half generally suffer from allergies which are often caused by dust mites, exposure to cigarette smoke, pet dander, or some type of fungus.
Because of the coughing, wheezing, and restlessness that goes along with asthma, it is often difficult for a young child with asthma to sleep at night. Talk with your child’s doctor to be sure the medications prescribed do not have side effects that make it hard to sleep. Propping your child up on a pillow helps to keep mucus from draining into their throat which can cause coughing. Wash all blankets or stuffed toys weekly to help eliminate dust mites. Be careful in using dehumidifiers which can help with dust mites but can also contribute to irritating your child’s nose and lungs because of the reduced moisture in the air. Do not give your child any foods or drinks that contain caffeine.
Ask your child’s doctor about using a peak flow meter to measure the opening of your child’s airways. This is a small handheld device that measures how fast your child can blow air in and out of their lungs. By checking the peak flow you can identify changes in your child’s airways before the asthma symptoms appear. This allows you to get treatment to your child faster and avoid an asthma attack.
Asthma is generally treated with a nebulizer which is a breathing machine or through an inhaler. Both devices are used to inhale a prescribed amount of medication. The following are some tips to help get your child to take their treatments:
• Administer the treatment at the same time each day so it becomes a part of their daily routine.
• Distract your child during the treatment with books, videos, or playing games.
• Put the treatment mask on a stuffed toy or doll first to show the child how much fun it can be to use the mask.
• Babies can be given the treatment while sleeping. There are masks that have attached pacifiers.
• Have someone distract the child with a game or story while you administer the treatment.
• Let older children help with their treatments by turning the machine on and off and putting on the mask themselves.
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