How Do You If You Have Asthma

How Is Childhood Asthma Treated

There isnt a cure for asthma, so the goal for asthma treatment is to keep symptoms under control and prevent asthma attacks. Ideally, treatment allows the child to be able to participate in physical activities as if they didnt have asthma.

Infants and toddler-aged children might not receive treatment immediately. Instead, your doctor may want to wait to see how asthma symptoms change over time.

Older children will often be prescribed two different types of asthma medications: long-term medications and quick-relief medications, often called rescue medications.;

Long-term medications help prevent asthma symptoms. These are taken daily, and sometimes multiple times a day. Examples of long-term asthma medications are:

• Inhaled corticosteroids like and

• Combination inhalers like

• Oral medications like and

• Injectables like omalizumab

Quick-relief medications are used to treat asthma attacks and work by opening swollen airways. Sometimes, a dose of these quick-relief medications is recommended before exercise or strenuous play. Examples include fast-acting beta blocker inhalers like and .

Ultimately, your childs treatment plan will depend on their age, symptoms, and other medical conditions. Your pediatrician is also likely to suggest:;

• Keeping your child away from his asthma triggers if you know what they;are

• Getting a yearly flu vaccine

• Treating chest infections quickly

What Causes An Asthma Attack

An asthma attack can happen when you are exposed to asthma triggers. Your asthma triggers can be very different from someone elses asthma triggers. Know your triggers and learn how to avoid them. Watch out for an attack when you cant avoid your triggers. Some of the most common triggers are tobacco smoke, dust mites, outdoor air pollution, cockroach allergen, pets, mold, smoke from burning wood or grass, and infections like flu.

Good News About Asthma

Unlike other respiratory diseases like bronchitis and emphysema, asthma does not tend to cause permanent damage.

There are excellent prescription medications available from your physician and pharmacist to treat asthma either by relieving symptoms or by controlling them on a long term basis and preventing attacks .

You can learn to monitor and predict asthma attacks or prevent them altogether.

You can find out what there is in the environment or in your lifestyle that might bring on or trigger an asthma attack or symptoms and take measures to minimize it.

Asthma is not contagious; you cannot pass it on to someone else like the flu or a cold.

Understanding this health condition and working with your physician on a treatment and prevention plan will give you the power to take part in your own treatment and enjoy a healthy, active life without fear of disability or being hospitalized.

The bottom line is that what you thought was a frightening condition can become nothing more than an occasional inconvenience. All the good news above will become more meaningful as you continue reading the information in this site.

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Asthma Information For Childcare Kinder Or School

To assist;childcare and preschool workers and school teachers in the care of your child with asthma:;

• Tell them that your child has asthma .;
• Provide them with a copy of your childs asthma action plan, including emergency contact details. Make sure you provide an updated plan every year, or if your childs medication changes.The school or childcare centre will require this for enrolment.
• Show staff members how to use the medication devices, such as spacers and puffers.;
• Make sure your child has an up-to-date supply of medication and a spacer at the centre or school.;
• Notify staff if your childs asthma changes.;
• Tell the staff about any concerns you may have.;

What Should I Do If My Child Has An Asthma Attack

An asthma attack or asthma exacerbation is what happens when asthma symptoms suddenly get worse. Anyone with asthma can have an asthma attack. Attacks in children can triggered by factors like:

• Tobacco smoke

• Respiratory infections, like the common cold

• Playing hard

• Cold, dry air

In an asthma attack, general asthma symptoms like wheezing, trouble breathing, and cough get worse. Depending on how severe the attack is, these symptoms can be mild or they could require emergency treatment.;

Mild attacks can sometimes be managed at home with your childs nebulizer or quick-relief inhaler. During an asthma attack, its best to use the inhaler through a spacer device, as your child may otherwise find it difficult to get the medication into their lungs. If your child doesnt get better after these treatments, you should call a doctor.

Severe asthma attacks should be treated like emergencies. Call 911, or get your child to an emergency room as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:

• Constant wheezing

• Starting to wheeze suddenly after being stung or bitten by an insect, eating or drinking a food or beverage, or taking a medication

• Severe trouble breathing, leading to blue lips, blue face, or passing out

• Inability to speak in full sentences

• Pulling in around the ribs and neck when trying to inhale

• Rescue inhalers are not working after 15 or 20 minutes

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What Should I Do If I Think My Child Might Have Asthma

If you think your child has asthma, take them to see their pediatrician as soon as possible.; The pediatrician may refer them to an allergist if she thinks allergies might be causing your childs asthma symptoms. Allergists can help identify the exact triggers that cause asthma symptoms.;

Either way, if it turns out your child does have asthma, its a great idea to make sure they start getting treatment early. Children with asthma who go without treatment risk having serious complications, including frequent and severe or potentially fatal asthma attacks. Your child might be constantly tired and not perform well in school, gain weight quickly, and start to develop mental health conditions like anxiety or depression.

In order to determine whether your child has asthma, your provider will ask you some questions, perform a physical exam, and probably run some tests. You can expect questions about:

• Your childs symptoms

• When those symptoms appear

• How severe the symptoms are

• Whether your child has other medical conditions

• Your family history of allergies and asthma

• Your home environment

During the physical exam, theyll look and listen for signs that your child is having trouble breathing, or if there are signs of other allergic conditions.

If You Suspect You Might Have Asthma Definitely Head To The Doctor

Your doctor will probably give you a physical exam first to examine the general state of your health. After that, theyll likely put you through some lung function tests, such as a spirometry, which checks how much air you can exhale after taking a deep breath as well as how fast you can expel air, according to the Mayo Clinic. Or they may do a peak flow test, which measures how hard you can breathe out. If you cant exhale enough air or breathe out quickly, it may be a sign your lungs arent working well, which could point to asthma, Dr. Benzaquen says.

There are other exams they can use, too, like exposing you to methacholine, a known asthma trigger, to see if your airways narrow, or allergy testing, since allergies and asthma are so often connected.

If you are diagnosed with asthma, itll be within one of four categories, according to the Mayo Clinic. Mild intermittent asthma means you have minimal asthma symptoms for up to two days a week and up to two nights a month, while mild persistent asthma means youre experiencing symptoms more frequently than twice a week, but not more than once on any given day. Moderate persistent asthma ups the ante: Youre dealing with symptoms once a day and more than one night a week. Finally, severe persistent asthma involves constant symptoms most days and frequently at night too.

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How Do You Know If You Have Asthma

Asthma is a respiratory problem usually occurs due to the inflammation of bronchial tubes but how do you know if you have asthma? Normally, people experience symptoms like coughing, wheezing, tight feeling in chest and allergies as well. These symptoms simply points to the asthma. Are these symptoms enough to find out whether you have asthma or not? Its a no. Some people will not experience in the same way.

Symptoms for asthma attack can be mild to severe. Mild attacks are common. Mild asthma attacks might cause during exercise or due to the cold. Sometimes mild asthma attack tends to last longer. Well, in this case, immediate treatment is required. Seeking medical treatment at prior will keep asthma under control. But how do you know if you have asthma? Here are some signs and symptoms that will help you to know about it.

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Breathing Problems During Exercise

If you have chest tightness, cough, wheeze or shortness of breath during exercise, your doctor may perform extra tests to see if you have a type of asthma called, exercise-induced asthma or exercise-induced bronchospasm. For some people, they will only have asthma symptoms during exercise. There are many benefits to exercise, so work with your doctor to find the best management steps and treatment options for you.

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Signs You Actually Have Severe Asthma

Breathing is just one of those things you take for granted until it feels like every inhale or exhale is a struggle. Unfortunately, people with severe asthma have to deal with breathing issues way more often than anyone should, and it can be completely terrifying.

Asthma is a respiratory condition that affects the airways that extend from your nose and mouth to your lungs, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute . When youre exposed to triggers like animal fur, pollen, mold, exercise, and respiratory infections, these airways can narrow, restricting your airflow. This can then make the muscles surrounding your airways constrict, making it even harder to breathe, and cause your airways to produce more mucus than normal, further compounding the problem. All together, this can lead to asthma symptoms like shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing , and chest tightness or pain, according to the NHLBI.

Like most health conditions, asthma severity runs along a spectrum, Emily Pennington, M.D., a pulmonologist at the Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF. Some people have cases where they experience minor symptoms here and there . Others can have asthma that is basically an ever-present problem and might result in scary asthma attacks, which is when symptoms ramp up in severity and can even become life-threatening.

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Different Types Of Asthma

Asthma has four levels of severity:

• Intermittent Asthma is felt less than two times a week and interrupts sleep less than two nights a month.
• Mild Persistent Asthma means you feel symptoms two or more days a week and wake up three to four nights per month.
• Moderate Persistent Asthma means you experience symptoms every day and wake up one or more nights per week.
• Severe Persistent Asthma symptoms occur every day and wake you up every night.

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What You Need To Know About Your Childs Asthma

There are many things to think about and plan for when your child has asthma. It is important to learn as much as you can about the condition. Your doctor and pharmacist are there to help you. Talk to them about any concerns you may have about your childs asthma.;To manage your childs asthma effectively, it is important to know:;

• the pattern of their asthma;
• their;asthma medications what they do and how to help your child take them properly;
• what to do if they have an asthma attack know and follow;asthma first aid.;

Make sure you have an updated written;asthma;action;plan and understand how to use it.;

Triggers For Asthma In Children

Asthma triggers;are substances, conditions or activities that lead to asthma symptoms. These include :;

• wheezing whistling noise when breathing;
• coughing .;

Your child may have all of these symptoms or just a few. Symptoms are often worse at night, in the early morning, during exercise or due to other triggers.;

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Asthma Peak Week: How To Exercise Safely With Asthma

The third week of September is known as Asthma Peak Week, the week with the highest numbers of asthma attacks and hospitalizations every year. Allergen levels are at their highest this week, particularly common allergens like ragweed pollen, dust, and mold, and this can make any activity difficult. You might be reluctant to work out, but regular exercise can improve asthma symptoms by increasing lung capacity and reducing inflammation. A well-considered exercise plan guided by a medical professional is vital to ensuring you can exercise safely with asthma, so read on to learn what to discuss with your doctor about creating an exercise plan for you!

What Can Exercise Do For Those With Asthma

If you have asthma, it’s vital that you speak with your healthcare provider about starting an exercise program, as they can help you find a program that fits your needs and physical condition. Regular physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, has many benefits relevant to asthma and EIB:

• Improved lung capacity and stronger respiratory muscles.
• Reduced airway inflammation: regular exercise reduces inflammatory proteins, which are responsible for inflammation in the airways in those with asthma.
• Improved circulation and better oxygen utilization.
• Stronger cardiovascular health.
• Increased strength and muscle tone.

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Who Can Get Asthma

Anyone can develop asthma at any age. People with allergies or people exposed to tobacco smoke and secondhand smoke are more likely to develop asthma.

Statistics show women tend to have asthma more than men, and asthma affects Black Americans more frequently than other races.

When a child develops asthma, healthcare providers call it childhood asthma. If it develops later in life, its adult-onset asthma.

Children do not outgrow asthma. They may have fewer symptoms as they get older, but they could still have an asthma attack. Your childs healthcare provider can help you understand the risks.

What Types Of Asthma Are There

Healthcare providers identify asthma as intermittent or persistent . Persistent asthma can be mild, moderate or severe. Healthcare providers base asthma severity on how often you have attacks. They also consider how well you can do things during an attack.

Asthma can be:

• Allergic: Some peoples allergies can cause an asthma attack. Molds, pollens and other allergens can cause an attack.
• Non-allergic: Outside factors can cause asthma to flare up. Exercise, stress, illness and weather may cause a flare.

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How Does Exercise Trigger Asthma Symptoms

Doctors think they know why some people’s asthma is made worse by exercise .Normally, people breathe through their nose. Your nose acts as an air filter. It controls the temperature and humidity of the air before it reaches your lungs.When you exercise, your body wants more air. ;Your breathing speeds up to get more air. You start breathing through your mouth, so you can gulp down more air. But air that comes through your mouth has not been filtered, warmed, or humidified by your nose. This means the air that gets to your airways is cooler and drier than usual.If you have asthma, your extra-sensitive airways don’t like cool dry air. Your airways react: the muscles around the airways twitch and squeeze tighter. Tighter airways mean there is less space for the air to pass through. This makes you wheeze, cough, and feel short of breath.

What We Know About Asthma And Covid

Asthma is a pre-existing lung condition affecting 1 in 13 people in the U.S. It can cause wheezing, chest tightness, coughing, and shortness of breath. Asthma can be controlled by taking medications and avoiding triggers.

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The virus affects cells in the airways, from the nose and throat down to the deepest parts of the lungs. In the nose and throat it might cause symptoms of a cold. In the upper airways, it might cause some breathlessness and cough. When the coronavirus lodges itself deep in the lungs, this is when things can start to get serious. Here, the coronavirus commonly causes a double lung infection, or bilateral pneumonia.;

Interestingly, research so far does not suggest any link between having asthma and getting a more severe COVID-19 illness, or between asthma and coronavirus deaths.;

Whether this is because the SARS-CoV-2 virus doesnt affect people with asthma in the same way as other respiratory viruses, or because there simply isnt enough data yet, remains to be seen.;

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What Is The Best Way To Live With Asthma

The key to good living with asthma is developing a strong partnership between patients, caregivers, and physicians. Practical steps include the following:

;; Make an asthma care management plan with your physician. An asthma management plan helps you understand what to do when specific situations arise. Each time you visit the physician, talk about your plan, and make any necessary changes.

;; Educate yourself. Stay informed about the latest developments in asthma and allergy care and treatment. Ask your physician about new medications or research findings that may relate to your care.

;; Get regular medical care. If you have asthma, you should see your physician at least once a year, even if your symptoms are under control. When you become sick, or if you have significant changes in your health, you should also talk with your physician about how your asthma could be affected.

;; Take your medicine. Your asthma medications will make you feel better and sometimes people think thats the time to stop. Its not! Use your medications as prescribed.

With good management, asthma symptoms can be controlled. Most people who develop adult onset asthma are able to lead normal lives. Expect success!