Asthma
The rate of asthma in young children has increased significantly in recent years, affecting between 10 to 12 percent of all children. Children who suffer from asthma are almost always diagnosed before the age of five. Allergy-prone children are more likely to develop asthma, particularly if other members of their family suffer from asthma, eczema, or allergies. Children are also likely to develop asthma if they are exposed to smoking (before or after birth). Impoverished African-American male children in particular show a significant susceptibility to asthma.
Although it is unclear exactly why asthma rates are increasing, there are many ways parents can help their children with asthma feel better. It is especially important to follow your doctor's directions because lifestyle factors, including variables of diet, sleep, and exercise, can greatly affect your child's quality of life. Today, there are many medications available that control children's asthma better than in days past, leading to fewer attacks and consequently far less frequent emergency room visits.
Parents can usually recognize the most obvious sign of asthma in their child: difficulty in breathing, wheezing, or having trouble taking a deep breath. But there are other, less well-known signs of asthma, including frequent coughing, especially at night or when laughing. If your child has trouble staying energetic when he plays or if he coughs during exercise and at night, you should bring him to the doctor. If you can see your two-year-old's chest and stomach moving deeply when he breathes, you should also talk to your doctor.
The severity of asthma symptoms in your child can be strongly affected by the choices you make. If you or others in your family smoke, you are exacerbating your child's symptoms. If you keep him confined to the house, he will probably feel worse. If you have pets, the dander may make his breathing more difficult.
Fact
Most asthma symptoms can be kept under control so that your child can live a normal, healthy life. What matters most is a proactive, positive attitude combined with knowledge about how to live with asthma.
Because of the close relationship between asthma symptoms and lifestyle, doctors and families often work together to create an asthma action plan. This combines treatment with medications and the assistance of breathing apparatuses such as nebulizers and inhalers, which help provide oxygen to someone who isn't breathing properly.
