Childhood Asthma
Asthma affects children differently than adults. Their smaller lungs
and breathing tubes mean they are affected more severely than their adult
counter parts. They breathe harder when their airways become restricted.
It is harder to test children to determine the severity of their condition.
It is harder to give them rescue medications when they are having an attack
and they can show signs of the disease when they are not having an exacerbation.
In Between Attacks
According to page 189 of Foundations of Respiratory Care published in 2002
by Delmar, asthmatic children who are not experiencing an asthma attack
can show clinical manifestations that are not typically seen in adults,
such as headaches, irritability and depression allergic shiners, Rhinorrhea
with yellow or green mucus discharge, sleeping difficulties or congestion
with a cough. Symptoms Associated to childhood asthma include fatigue, a
complaint of their chest hurting or feeling funny, and the avoiding activities
like sports or sleepovers. An associated symptom in infants might be difficulty
breathing and possibly grunting during sucking.
During an Asthma Attack
At the beginning of an asthma attack a child will develop a cough with mucus
production, wheezing during expiration and respiratory distress. As the
attack worsens the wheezing can be heard during expiration and during inspiration
or even worse their may be no wheezing at all. Peak flows if the child is
old enough to do one will be reduced and a chest x-ray will show hyperventilation
if it also doesn't also show signs of an infection. Because of their smaller
airways, symptoms of an asthma attack will occur much more quickly than
adults.
Smoking and Asthma among Children
Around 38% of children today are exposed to tobacco smoke during their first
five years. This exposure to second hand smoke can according to some studies
almost double the prevalence of asthma in children. This is further proof
that second hand smoke doesn't just harm the smoker.
Other factors that are associated with asthma in children are:
- A parental history
- Two of the following conditions
- Physician diagnosed allergic rhinitis
- Greater than 4% peripheral blood eosinophila
- wheezing apart from colds.
Learn More
- Asthma Risk Factors
- Asthma Triggers
- Causes of Asthma
- How Asthma Affects Children
- ASthma Guidelines
- Treatments for Asthma
- The Parts of the Lungs
- What happens during an asthma attack
- Why the lungs act the way they do during an asthma attack
Sources
- http://www.aaaai.org/memers/resources/initiatives/pediatricasthmaguidelines/
- Foundations of Respiratory Care - Page 189; Publisher Delmar
- AAE National ASthma Educator Certification REview Course Syllabus
Submissions, Critiques, Edits, and New Information Welcome
Last Updated 11/30/2008 7:49:18 PM
