Childhood asthma is near and dear to me. As a child I was hospitalized and visited the emergency room so many times I cannot even count. An asthma attack is very scary for both the parent and child. If a parent thinks their child is having an asthma attack it is important for the parent to remain calm and call 911 or a competent medical professional immediately. I cannot empasis enough for the parent to remain calm since raising the anxiety of a child will only make things worse. Now, on with the article on some things as a parent that will be helpful to know and watch out for:
What You Should Know about Child Asthma
Your child might have asthma which is a condition in which the main airways to your child’s lungs (bronchial tubes) become swollen and you won’t even know it. The signs to child asthma are subtle so as a parent you need to be aware and on alert for mild clues.
Many child asthma patients are first misdiagnosed because the symptoms may be dismissed as something else because some parents think of child asthma they think of wheezing or a whistling sound when breathing as the only sign of asthma however your child may only have symptoms of a cough or they may only suffer from chest congestion these are easily mistaken for a cold when in fact they are symptoms of child asthma.
Child Asthma in Infants
Detecting child asthma is even more difficult in infants because they cannot communicate with you and you might have difficulty noticing wheezing or other respiratory difficulties until they are older.
Some other signs to look for in infants are a ratty cough, rapid breathing, frequent chest colds, grunting when nursing, and also a weak cry. These symptoms, any many more, should be monitored with the help of your pediatrician. You may also contact an in home pediatric care service for close monitoring.
Symptoms of Child Asthma in Older Children
Although Small children can talk they may have a hard time telling you exactly what is wrong with them, they may say such things like “my chest feels funny” or ask “why am I always coughing?” These are signs a parent needs to be aware of and be suspecting that you child may be suffering from child asthma
Other clues include violent coughing after strenuous activity, wheezing and shortness of breath, or consistent coughing at night.
Some Other Things to Watch Out For
If you think your child is suffering from child asthma, there are other more mild indicators you can look for. Monitor the way in which your child rises in the morning, for example. If they are waking up tired it may because of restless sleep due to excessive coughing or difficulty breathing. There of course might be other reasons, such as nightmares involving an asthmatic clown or bears, but the likelihood of asthma symptoms occurring at night is quite high in children.
Child asthma is very interesting because no two children suffer it in the same way or exhibit the same symptoms. It is also common that the asthmatic symptoms are the same but the fashion in which they are suffered is completely different to the individual child.
Editorial comment: It is important point that no two children are the same. As a child with asthma I had my asthma downplayed by people who know asthmatic children that were very athletic, or people who thought they knew what causes asthma. Asthma can be triggered by many different events and that differs per child. It is important to work closely with your health care professional in order to get a full understanding of not only what asthma is, but what triggers asthma in YOUR child or loved one. Kevin, More4kids Inc.
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