Ten Tips to Keep Childhood Asthma at Bay

Did you know that in Spain asthma affects 10% of the child population? Despite not having a cure, its symptoms can be controlled. Pay attention to these ten tips!

Mother and daughter show inhalation devices for asthma / EFE / IVAN MEJIA

It is one of the main causes of school absenteeism and an important factor that conditions the quality of life. In Spain, Asthma is the most common chronic disease in childrenwith a prevalence of 10%, according to the Pediatric Asthma Group Network (regAP). It can be controlled?

Julio Masset, doctor of the Cinfa companyspeaks of childhood asthma as something controllable, but one that must be taken care of.

“Although it is a chronic disease that has no cure, the parents of the child with asthma can manage to control the symptoms so that they enjoy a quality of life similar to that of someone who does not have this problem,” says the doctor.

What do the experts advise?

From Cinfa they are facilitated ten guidelines for “keep to line” childhood asthma.

1. Give him his medication as directed by the pediatrician. In order for you to enjoy a good quality of life, it is very important that you take your medication at the dose, frequency, and duration indicated by your pediatrician (who will often do so despite no symptoms) as part of your asthma treatment.
   • Raise any doubts or fears to the specialist in case of side effects, but do not stop treatment on your own initiative.
2. Teach your child to use the inhaler correctly. If he’s old enough, give him a demonstration and encourage him to repeat it. The inhalation technique comprises the following phases:
   • open the device
   • Prepare it (shake it, rotate it or load it)
   • empty the lungs of air
   • block your breath
   • Place the mouth of the inhaler in the mouth
   • inhale deeply
   • Hold your breath for 5 to 10 seconds
   • Breathe normally again
   • In some cases, it is stated rinse mouth (especially when treating with corticosteroids)
   • In the case of infants or young childrenlearn to properly use the inhalation chambers.
3. Always consult your pediatrician before giving other drugs. Never medicate on your own and inform your pediatrician of new prescriptions that other specialists may have indicated. In any case, always notify your pharmacist, dentist or other healthcare professionals of the child’s asthmatic condition, to avoid interactions with other medications.
4. Learn to recognize crises. Ask your pediatrician to teach you how to detect worsening symptoms, since the child is sometimes not able to recognize them. For this reason, it can be very beneficial to use a respiratory flow meter, which verifies the limitation of the murmur.
5. Develop an action plan with your pediatrician. Prepare a written action plan with your pediatrician, which tells you exactly what you should do when your son or daughter suffers a serious crisis. They can recommend guidelines such as:
   • increase dose
   • associate it to another
   • take another new
   • Go to the ER…
6. Introduce breathing exercises into your day. Learn and teach him to practice respiratory physiotherapy exercises on a regular basis, because they will help him control his breathing and anxiety when an asthmatic crisis arrives. If, after this, respiratory distress persists, do not send him to school or nursery. Don’t leave him at home unsupervised either.
7. Do not smoke in his presence and keep him away from smoky environments. Tobacco is one of the main triggers of asthma. because it increases bronchial inflammation. Therefore, do not smoke in front of the affected boy or girl and do not allow other people to do so or be with him or her in environments with smokers.
8. Avoid allergens that affect you the most. In addition to tobacco, you must keep your environment free of all substances that can worsen your asthma such as pollens, dust, mites, fungi or animal hair. For this, the hygiene and cleanliness of the home, the frequent change of bedding and adequate ventilation (except allergies to pollen in the seasons that appear) are essential habits.
9. Yes to sport, but with caution. Physical exercise is recommended for an asthmatic child, because it allows him to develop and learn to control his breathing. However, it is preferable to take some precautions:
   • Check that the blow quality at rest it is normal
   • Make sure you do exercises heating and acclimatization
   • Verify that the beginning of the activity is progressive
   • Before strenuous exercise, your pediatrician may recommend inhaling a medication bronchodilator fast action. Likewise, it is always recommended (even if the exercise is less intense) to bring emergency medications in case of a crisis.
10. Put common sense in your suitcase when you travel. As long as the asthma is well controlled and stable, an asthmatic child can travel like any other person, but you must take with you their usual medications, the pediatrician’s written action plan and the drugs they may need in case of worsening or crisis.

What is asthma?

Asthma is a lung condition that is caused by an allergic reaction. This disease can manifest both in the first year of life and during childhood or adulthood.

The expert explains in general terms the impact that this pathology can have on children: in addition to being an important reason for school absenteeism, it is also a factor that conditions the quality of life of the child.

EFE/TODAY’S NEWSPAPER/ Manuel Orellana

Causes

But, What causes it?

Dr. Maset determines that both the genetics Like the environmental factors they may have a role in your cause. It occurs when exposure to certain substances cause an immune response, an allergy, which implies a shortness of breath.

Allergens such as animal hair animals or the mites may be some of causingalthough, to the same extent, they can be the tobacco and the pollution.

Symptoms

According to the expert, the most common are:

• Tos.
• wheezing or whistling in the chest.
• Thick, viscous mucus discharge.
• Rhinitis.
• Sensation of tightness or pain in the chest.

Treatment

It is a chronic disease, so there is no cure. In this way, CINFA insists on the importance of controlling exposure to allergens that affect children, in addition to environmental control.

As for the pharmacological treatment, it is normally taken through inhalers. In some cases, always over five years old, you can resort to the so-called immunotherapythat is, the desensitization to the allergen from its administration through a medication.

the message is clear: the important thing when it comes to childhood asthma is learn to live with illness in a responsible and efficient way so as not to lose quality of life in the attempt.