Each and every year there is a growing amount of children who are diagnosed with asthma. The latest numbers available (from 2006) show that there are 6.8 million children under the age of eighteen with asthma. Of that number, 1.2 million are under the age of five and 4.1 million children had an asthma attack that year. That's not counting the unknown number of children that haven't been diagnosed by a doctor.
While doctors and medical experts don't know the exact cause of asthma there are connections to a person's genes and their environment. By environment, they mean everything from air pollution to secondhand smoke, to even living in the same home as a cat.
For the most part, the symptoms of a children's asthma attack are the same as with adult asthma. The four main symptoms are wheezing, difficulty breathing, coughing and pressure in the chest area. In younger children like infants and toddlers, it can be difficult to tell if they're having breathing problems because they can't speak or communicate their asthma problems.
One symptom that can watch out for in small children is an increased breathing rate. In infants and toddlers, their breathing rate can increase by as much as fifty percent during an asthma attack. Normal breathing for a newborn is about thirty to sixty breaths per minute. During their first year, the normal rate is closer to twenty to forty breaths per minute. During the second year, the rate is twenty to thirty breaths per second.
They may also showing signs of wheezing or panting while playing when they normally wouldn't show any signs of breathing difficulties. If they're having asthma problems, they may also act distant and not show interest in their favorite games and activities. You might also notice that their crying sounds a little softer or different.
Triggers of asthma attacks is similar for adults and children. It can be related to a child's allergies to pet dander, pollen or mold. Exercise can be another cause for attacks. Even cold weather, can cause breathing problems in children.
One trigger for asthma that affects children more than adults is colds, flu and other infections. Because children's airways are so small, a sickness can cause their airway to become irritated and constricted. The treatment for asthma in children is generally the same as it with adults, just with smaller doses of medicine.
The goods news is that more than fifty percent of children outgrow their asthma. While, it'll never be one hundred percent gone, their breathing problems can become practically non-existent. This is because their airway becomes full size and mature so it's resistant to irritation and inflammation.
Mike Crimmins isn't just an asthma researcher, he's also a life long asthmatic. Learn about how he's controlled his asthma at http://asthmaanswers.net/
Learn more about asthma in children.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Facts About Toddler Asthma
This is a subject near and not at all dear to my heart. As a matter of fact I am starting to hate the word "asthma" with every fiber of my being (and trust me, I have lots of fibers). My son has asthma. This of course was only discovered AFTER a middle of the night trip to the emergency room with a gasping, grunting, miserable eleven month old.
While doing my research to determine just what this asthmatic diagnosis was going to mean to our family, I discovered something astounding. Since 1983, the occurence of childhood asthma has increased by 160%. 160%!!! That means that 1 in 4 kids under the age of 5 have asthma! And what's worse, no one seems to know just why this is happening. We have no real answers as to why our normally sturdy, knock-around little toddlers are suddenly being stricken down with wheezing, gasping, coughing and sneezing episodes that take them out of playtime commission for hours, or even days. Some doctors suggest that it's the increased pollution in the air, but even children living in South Dakota, far, far, FAR away from any major highways are being diagnosed. Others are suggesting the additives in food may be a contributing factor, causing allergies which are in turn causing asthma. This suggestion I could believe. There are so many chemicals in our foods these days we'll soon be sucking our nutrition straight out of a self-dispensing mouthpiece connected to a large, black container marked "Bio-Hazard". Yuck.
Little boys apparently have a slightly higher risk of being diagnosed with asthma as well. The jury is still out on whether this has anything to do with the fact that boys tend to mature a bit slower than girls. A parent with asthma is obviously a red-flag, but genetics I can certainly understand. You don't get a chance to pick your parents, but it sure would be nice if you could pick and choose which health issues they are allowed to pass on!
As a parent taking care of a wonderful, beautiful (I have to get that in at LEAST once a day so you don't forget) child with asthma, I know just how frustrating this chronic condition can be. I also know first hand that doctors are not all asthma specialists, and that conflicting information is often the norm, especially after your initial diagnosis.
If you are looking for more information on asthma, and more importantly accurate information on childhood asthma the experts are always the best, and the experts are at the American Lung Association Site. If you have a little one battling asthma, I suggest you look into possible support groups in your area. Just having someone else to talk to who has been through the sleepless nights and the constant worry can really help lighten your stress load. I'm still on the hunt for some really good childhood asthma message boards to frequent, so if any of you know of any, please drop me a line and I'll check them out.
Now, strictly to make myself feel better after a long night of nebulizer treatments and listening to my angel cough and wheeze, I want to hear YOUR asthma stories. Or any toddler health scares for that matter. How did you survive feeling so helpless when your little one was under the weather?
Jennifer spends her spare time tracking down new products and reliable tips for parenting toddlers. She and her son Alex are enjoying the roller coaster ride of life over at http://www.parentingtoddlers.net every day!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Remeta
While doing my research to determine just what this asthmatic diagnosis was going to mean to our family, I discovered something astounding. Since 1983, the occurence of childhood asthma has increased by 160%. 160%!!! That means that 1 in 4 kids under the age of 5 have asthma! And what's worse, no one seems to know just why this is happening. We have no real answers as to why our normally sturdy, knock-around little toddlers are suddenly being stricken down with wheezing, gasping, coughing and sneezing episodes that take them out of playtime commission for hours, or even days. Some doctors suggest that it's the increased pollution in the air, but even children living in South Dakota, far, far, FAR away from any major highways are being diagnosed. Others are suggesting the additives in food may be a contributing factor, causing allergies which are in turn causing asthma. This suggestion I could believe. There are so many chemicals in our foods these days we'll soon be sucking our nutrition straight out of a self-dispensing mouthpiece connected to a large, black container marked "Bio-Hazard". Yuck.
Little boys apparently have a slightly higher risk of being diagnosed with asthma as well. The jury is still out on whether this has anything to do with the fact that boys tend to mature a bit slower than girls. A parent with asthma is obviously a red-flag, but genetics I can certainly understand. You don't get a chance to pick your parents, but it sure would be nice if you could pick and choose which health issues they are allowed to pass on!
As a parent taking care of a wonderful, beautiful (I have to get that in at LEAST once a day so you don't forget) child with asthma, I know just how frustrating this chronic condition can be. I also know first hand that doctors are not all asthma specialists, and that conflicting information is often the norm, especially after your initial diagnosis.
If you are looking for more information on asthma, and more importantly accurate information on childhood asthma the experts are always the best, and the experts are at the American Lung Association Site. If you have a little one battling asthma, I suggest you look into possible support groups in your area. Just having someone else to talk to who has been through the sleepless nights and the constant worry can really help lighten your stress load. I'm still on the hunt for some really good childhood asthma message boards to frequent, so if any of you know of any, please drop me a line and I'll check them out.
Now, strictly to make myself feel better after a long night of nebulizer treatments and listening to my angel cough and wheeze, I want to hear YOUR asthma stories. Or any toddler health scares for that matter. How did you survive feeling so helpless when your little one was under the weather?
Jennifer spends her spare time tracking down new products and reliable tips for parenting toddlers. She and her son Alex are enjoying the roller coaster ride of life over at http://www.parentingtoddlers.net every day!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Remeta
Effective Methods At Combatting Toddler Asthma
One of the more recent epidemic childhood ailments has been the dramatic increase in toddler asthma. This is a very recent phenomena that has risen dramatically only over the last few decades and is closely related to the evolving health issue of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). In efforts to conserve fuel and combat rising fuel costs, home construction and improvements have focused on air efficiency and keeping cold air out and hot air in during the winter months and the converse in the summer months with air conditioning. What has essentially been created is a perfect self-contained trap for the most common allergens, which are dust mites, pollen, pet dander and mold. The developing lung capacity and high energy levels of toddlers make them more susceptible to these allergens than adults and the dramatic increase in toddler asthma supports this position.
The alarming concern is that the focus is now centered on treating the symptoms in toddlers with asthma medicines which are now being proven to have terrible side-effects on our children. Thus begins a lifetime journey to dependency on prescription drugs, which, of course, is of significant benefit to the medical profession and the manufactures of prescription drugs. The focus of this article is dealing with the neglected issue of Indoor Air Quality rather that the medical issue of treating symptoms but one type of medication that is becoming all too common, is treating asthma with drugs like albuterol. First of all, little regard is given to drug dosage in childhood pediatrics. A general half-teaspoon dose is prescribed for most toddlers in the range of 2-4 years old regardless of sex, size, body weight or level of activity. This is common with almost every drug, as the industry finds it too costly to include those parameters in research studies prior to approval.
If you even casually explore forums dedicated to parents with toddlers prescribed albuterol, you will be alarmed at the number who report horrible side-effects such as an out-of-control, irritable personality, totally contrary to the unmedicated one. Behavior becomes disruptive and unfocused and it results in ADD-like symptoms. These symptoms later get misdiagnosed in preschool and many parent then turn to Ritalin to treat these new symptoms. Then the sedated Ritalin children later gets diagnosed as depressed and so starts the move to anti-depressants type drugs. Most parents only have to think back to their own childhood and recall the absence of classroom disruptive behavior, unmotivated, drugged children and the teen suicide and crime increases.
Getting back to the focus of the article and the IAQ of most home environments, where the toddler spends the greater percentage of their time in, especially during sleeping, when more open-mouth breathing occurs. The number one night time allergen is dust mites, more specifically, dust mites carcasses, which are the breakdown components of dead dust mites. Mites can number in the millions and have a short life span, so they provide a constant supply. Every mattress over a year old has dust mites to some degree and it is not a reflection on household sanity. There is virtually impossible to eliminate them. Every toss and turn, jump on the bed or even falling into the mattress out of exhaustion creates an invisible cloud of dust mite body parts, which are small enough to enter the passage ways of children and begin the road to asthma. The body makes a valiant attempt to rid itself of these through coughing, running nose mucus and phlegm, but it is a futile battle as the mites win by sheer numbers.
The only proven effective way to contain mites and the body components is to use a dust mite cover for the box spring and mattress. These will not totally kill all mites, but will do so to the majority, and it will not allow the release of body parts into the bedroom air. These can be purchased online or at most retailers in varying price ranges depending on size of the bedding and the quality of the material with respect to comfort. Simply, it is a non-permeable, plastic enclosure with small enough pore size to contain the allergens. When cleaning or emptying the covers, which do not need to be done often, it should be done so away from the room, preferably outside. This alone, will go a long way to eliminating one of the major allergens contributing to the child's symptoms. A $50 cover in lieu of a long string of prescription drugs to address allergy symptoms.
Most homes now have pets, and many have multiple pets, sometimes mixtures of cats and dogs. Pet dander, like mites, has a very small particle size and is difficult to capture and remove. On a bright, sunlit day, you can actually view the cloud of allergens circulating in the air, all of varying particle sizes. Now picture that cloud passing through the airways of a toddler on a constant basis. It is helpful when pets are both indoors and outdoors, where they can release some of the dander outside while running or playing. Avoiding indoor vigorous play with a dog is helpful. The full-time indoor pets present more of a dander problem. Convention vacuuming does little to remove dander, and most allergens, like dust mites. Actually, it makes the problem worse for the short term when the wrong type of vacuum is used. Most vacuums, even pricy models, are not equipped to capture small particles and do nothing more than throw the stationary allergens back into the air for the child to breathe again. Canister types like the Dyson- type canister do a better job but without a HEPA filter system, do not eliminate the problem either. It is very important not to vacuum around a toddler or even with the toddler in the house. This can result in an acute allergic reaction, as their system is overwhelmed with allergens. Doing it with them out of the house for a few hours, at least allows the majority of particles to resettle.
HEPA filters on vacuums, an acronym for 'High Efficiency Particulate Air', is the best known filter for removing at least 99.97% of particulates such as dust, animal dander, smoke, mold and other allergens that are 0.3 microns or larger, from the air and thus improving air quality. There are many generic HEPA filtration filters on the market today, but a true HEPA filter will display its efficiency ratings on the packaging. Other similar filters may not meet the same efficiency standards. These tend to be pricey but represent one of the best investments a household can make towards improving air quality and eliminating allergens. Care should also be taken not to feather dust or even using a non-disposable dusting cloth, like a towel or rag. Feather dusting defeats the purpose of capture by again throwing the particles back into the air. Dust rags, even when used with liquid cleaners, do the same when they become dry as they do nothing but become a haven for previously collected allergens. Using a damp disposable paper towel as the first step in dusting is critical and they should be disposed of quickly.
If a household has a smoker, extreme care should be taken, as nicotine particles are extremely allergic to toddlers. Even if smoking is confined to an area such as a porch, away from the child, those surfaces should be wiped routinely to capture the settled particles. This holds true for the interior of car surfaces and the smokers clothing which may come into contact with a toddler after smoking. Every child's room should also have a high quality air cleaning system, like the Sharper Image ionic model which does not rely on air movement, but on static capture. This should be cleaned regularly and the amount of allergens captured on the panels will be alarming when viewed from the point that material could have easily entered the child's airway.
Mold is another issue, especially in older homes, and homes with a lot of shade and limited sun exposure. Most are impossible to uncover, but if treated with some of the above methods, can be manageable. If a toddler spends substantial time with another caregiver, such as day care or with grandparents, they should be alerted to these methods which can also be taken in that setting to some degree. Day care is more difficult to protect against, but if the home environment is addressed, most of the allergens can be eliminated. Most day care center, especially new ones, address some of these issues.
All of the above methods can likely be addressed by a household for under $1000 and with little inconvenience. When compared to the constant, anguishing symptoms the toddler has to endure and the negative side effects of the drugs used to combat the symptoms, it is a vital and sensible alternative. The health of your children, as well as you own, will show dramatic improvement in a very short time.
Swimwear is our business but health and nutrition are our passion
Brought to you by Shirley and Company Where distinctive and fashionable Swimsuits And Juicy Couture tracksuits and accessories are just a click away
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Kuzniacki
The alarming concern is that the focus is now centered on treating the symptoms in toddlers with asthma medicines which are now being proven to have terrible side-effects on our children. Thus begins a lifetime journey to dependency on prescription drugs, which, of course, is of significant benefit to the medical profession and the manufactures of prescription drugs. The focus of this article is dealing with the neglected issue of Indoor Air Quality rather that the medical issue of treating symptoms but one type of medication that is becoming all too common, is treating asthma with drugs like albuterol. First of all, little regard is given to drug dosage in childhood pediatrics. A general half-teaspoon dose is prescribed for most toddlers in the range of 2-4 years old regardless of sex, size, body weight or level of activity. This is common with almost every drug, as the industry finds it too costly to include those parameters in research studies prior to approval.
If you even casually explore forums dedicated to parents with toddlers prescribed albuterol, you will be alarmed at the number who report horrible side-effects such as an out-of-control, irritable personality, totally contrary to the unmedicated one. Behavior becomes disruptive and unfocused and it results in ADD-like symptoms. These symptoms later get misdiagnosed in preschool and many parent then turn to Ritalin to treat these new symptoms. Then the sedated Ritalin children later gets diagnosed as depressed and so starts the move to anti-depressants type drugs. Most parents only have to think back to their own childhood and recall the absence of classroom disruptive behavior, unmotivated, drugged children and the teen suicide and crime increases.
Getting back to the focus of the article and the IAQ of most home environments, where the toddler spends the greater percentage of their time in, especially during sleeping, when more open-mouth breathing occurs. The number one night time allergen is dust mites, more specifically, dust mites carcasses, which are the breakdown components of dead dust mites. Mites can number in the millions and have a short life span, so they provide a constant supply. Every mattress over a year old has dust mites to some degree and it is not a reflection on household sanity. There is virtually impossible to eliminate them. Every toss and turn, jump on the bed or even falling into the mattress out of exhaustion creates an invisible cloud of dust mite body parts, which are small enough to enter the passage ways of children and begin the road to asthma. The body makes a valiant attempt to rid itself of these through coughing, running nose mucus and phlegm, but it is a futile battle as the mites win by sheer numbers.
The only proven effective way to contain mites and the body components is to use a dust mite cover for the box spring and mattress. These will not totally kill all mites, but will do so to the majority, and it will not allow the release of body parts into the bedroom air. These can be purchased online or at most retailers in varying price ranges depending on size of the bedding and the quality of the material with respect to comfort. Simply, it is a non-permeable, plastic enclosure with small enough pore size to contain the allergens. When cleaning or emptying the covers, which do not need to be done often, it should be done so away from the room, preferably outside. This alone, will go a long way to eliminating one of the major allergens contributing to the child's symptoms. A $50 cover in lieu of a long string of prescription drugs to address allergy symptoms.
Most homes now have pets, and many have multiple pets, sometimes mixtures of cats and dogs. Pet dander, like mites, has a very small particle size and is difficult to capture and remove. On a bright, sunlit day, you can actually view the cloud of allergens circulating in the air, all of varying particle sizes. Now picture that cloud passing through the airways of a toddler on a constant basis. It is helpful when pets are both indoors and outdoors, where they can release some of the dander outside while running or playing. Avoiding indoor vigorous play with a dog is helpful. The full-time indoor pets present more of a dander problem. Convention vacuuming does little to remove dander, and most allergens, like dust mites. Actually, it makes the problem worse for the short term when the wrong type of vacuum is used. Most vacuums, even pricy models, are not equipped to capture small particles and do nothing more than throw the stationary allergens back into the air for the child to breathe again. Canister types like the Dyson- type canister do a better job but without a HEPA filter system, do not eliminate the problem either. It is very important not to vacuum around a toddler or even with the toddler in the house. This can result in an acute allergic reaction, as their system is overwhelmed with allergens. Doing it with them out of the house for a few hours, at least allows the majority of particles to resettle.
HEPA filters on vacuums, an acronym for 'High Efficiency Particulate Air', is the best known filter for removing at least 99.97% of particulates such as dust, animal dander, smoke, mold and other allergens that are 0.3 microns or larger, from the air and thus improving air quality. There are many generic HEPA filtration filters on the market today, but a true HEPA filter will display its efficiency ratings on the packaging. Other similar filters may not meet the same efficiency standards. These tend to be pricey but represent one of the best investments a household can make towards improving air quality and eliminating allergens. Care should also be taken not to feather dust or even using a non-disposable dusting cloth, like a towel or rag. Feather dusting defeats the purpose of capture by again throwing the particles back into the air. Dust rags, even when used with liquid cleaners, do the same when they become dry as they do nothing but become a haven for previously collected allergens. Using a damp disposable paper towel as the first step in dusting is critical and they should be disposed of quickly.
If a household has a smoker, extreme care should be taken, as nicotine particles are extremely allergic to toddlers. Even if smoking is confined to an area such as a porch, away from the child, those surfaces should be wiped routinely to capture the settled particles. This holds true for the interior of car surfaces and the smokers clothing which may come into contact with a toddler after smoking. Every child's room should also have a high quality air cleaning system, like the Sharper Image ionic model which does not rely on air movement, but on static capture. This should be cleaned regularly and the amount of allergens captured on the panels will be alarming when viewed from the point that material could have easily entered the child's airway.
Mold is another issue, especially in older homes, and homes with a lot of shade and limited sun exposure. Most are impossible to uncover, but if treated with some of the above methods, can be manageable. If a toddler spends substantial time with another caregiver, such as day care or with grandparents, they should be alerted to these methods which can also be taken in that setting to some degree. Day care is more difficult to protect against, but if the home environment is addressed, most of the allergens can be eliminated. Most day care center, especially new ones, address some of these issues.
All of the above methods can likely be addressed by a household for under $1000 and with little inconvenience. When compared to the constant, anguishing symptoms the toddler has to endure and the negative side effects of the drugs used to combat the symptoms, it is a vital and sensible alternative. The health of your children, as well as you own, will show dramatic improvement in a very short time.
Swimwear is our business but health and nutrition are our passion
Brought to you by Shirley and Company Where distinctive and fashionable Swimsuits And Juicy Couture tracksuits and accessories are just a click away
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Kuzniacki
What Every Parent Should Know About Toddler Asthma
Toddler asthma is a chronic inflammatory health condition of the bronchial airways in children below the age of three. This inflammation can cause the normal function of a small child's airways to become swollen and can over produce mucus in the lung tissues. As a result, an asthma sufferer can experience airway obstruction, chest tightness, coughing and wheezing. If the symptoms become severe this can also cause acute shortness of breath and low blood oxygen. Asthma in toddlers is a major concern for many parents around the globe.
There are three primary causes of childhood asthma:
Allergic reactions
Non-allergic reactions from airborne irritants
Viral respiratory conditions
It is believed that over 50 percent of asthma symptoms in toddlers and small children are due to allergies. In fact, toddler allergies are closely related to asthma. The most common allergic pollutant in the home is the dust mite and the protein produced by their feces.
Childhood Asthma Statistics
Asthma is considered to be the leading cause of chronic illnesses of children within the United States. In 2007, 7.2 million children under age 18 (over 1.5 million under age 5) are believed to have serious asthma symptoms. As many as 2 million children are considered to be at risk from undiagnosed asthma.
What is Hidden Asthma?
Hidden asthma is a common enigma for many health care providers and is a common concern for parents of a child believed to have asthma. Many times the parents of a toddler or young child with hidden asthma symptoms are told to limit their child's activity levels until the exact diagnosis can be made.
Make Your Home a Haven with HEPA
There are thousands of airborne pollutants which can be found in the home such as pollen, mold spores, dust mites and household dust. However, it is the small (sub-micron) particles which cause the most asthma symptoms while at home. These small particles are between 5 to 50 microns in size and particles fewer than 10 microns account for over 97% of all particles within a typical home by count. A small child or toddler may breathe in as much as 6,500 quarts of air per day. This is why it is important to control these small particles in the home environment and especially in the bedroom where the child sleeps. The regular use of a HEPA vacuum and a portable HEPA air purifier in the room where the toddler or small child spends the greatest amount of their time will greatly reduce these asthma causing pollutants. I have had many clients in the past 26 years who have had great results in reducing their child's asthma symptoms with regular use of HEPA cleaning devices. Utilizing HEPA technology in the proper manner along with the appropriate asthma medication can minimize a child's symptoms while at home.
Read more about asthma and allergies!
Read more about Children and Asthma here.
About the Author
Stan K. Hall is a recognized specialist in Indoor Air Pollution as well as Health & Safety in the home. He has performed over 400 indoor environmental evaluations over the past 26 years and has helped hundreds of homeowners make their homes a haven. He is widely known as the originator of T.E.A.M., the scientifically proven approach to controlling and resolving indoor air pollution.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stan_K._Hall
There are three primary causes of childhood asthma:
Allergic reactions
Non-allergic reactions from airborne irritants
Viral respiratory conditions
It is believed that over 50 percent of asthma symptoms in toddlers and small children are due to allergies. In fact, toddler allergies are closely related to asthma. The most common allergic pollutant in the home is the dust mite and the protein produced by their feces.
Childhood Asthma Statistics
Asthma is considered to be the leading cause of chronic illnesses of children within the United States. In 2007, 7.2 million children under age 18 (over 1.5 million under age 5) are believed to have serious asthma symptoms. As many as 2 million children are considered to be at risk from undiagnosed asthma.
What is Hidden Asthma?
Hidden asthma is a common enigma for many health care providers and is a common concern for parents of a child believed to have asthma. Many times the parents of a toddler or young child with hidden asthma symptoms are told to limit their child's activity levels until the exact diagnosis can be made.
Make Your Home a Haven with HEPA
There are thousands of airborne pollutants which can be found in the home such as pollen, mold spores, dust mites and household dust. However, it is the small (sub-micron) particles which cause the most asthma symptoms while at home. These small particles are between 5 to 50 microns in size and particles fewer than 10 microns account for over 97% of all particles within a typical home by count. A small child or toddler may breathe in as much as 6,500 quarts of air per day. This is why it is important to control these small particles in the home environment and especially in the bedroom where the child sleeps. The regular use of a HEPA vacuum and a portable HEPA air purifier in the room where the toddler or small child spends the greatest amount of their time will greatly reduce these asthma causing pollutants. I have had many clients in the past 26 years who have had great results in reducing their child's asthma symptoms with regular use of HEPA cleaning devices. Utilizing HEPA technology in the proper manner along with the appropriate asthma medication can minimize a child's symptoms while at home.
Read more about asthma and allergies!
Read more about Children and Asthma here.
About the Author
Stan K. Hall is a recognized specialist in Indoor Air Pollution as well as Health & Safety in the home. He has performed over 400 indoor environmental evaluations over the past 26 years and has helped hundreds of homeowners make their homes a haven. He is widely known as the originator of T.E.A.M., the scientifically proven approach to controlling and resolving indoor air pollution.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stan_K._Hall
All About Toddler Asthma
The worse thing than childhood asthma is asthma in toddlers. Most children who have asthma developed the disease while they were still toddlers. With a reported 5 million American children suffering from asthma, 173 thousand of them hospitalized for severe symptoms and 864 thousand receiving emergency treatment annually, it is important that your toddler be evaluated for asthma as early as possible.
Since it is more difficult to diagnose asthma among infants and toddlers, it would be best to look for signs or symptoms that characterize the disease. Many cases of asthma deaths were due to the parents' failure to recognize the severity of the toddler's condition. Common colds and respiratory diseases such as bronchitis can exhibit asthma-like symptoms. But this does not mean you should ignore your child especially when he has difficulty in breathing or a wheezing cough.
When your toddler is diagnosed with asthma, it does not mean he will be forever afflicted with the disease. On the contrary, there are lots of documented cases where the toddler's asthma no longer persisted into adulthood. It can also be deduced from this observation that toddlers are more susceptible to asthma triggers but develops immunity as they grow older.
A toddler with asthma will have persistent cough that is hacking and congested. Sometimes the toddler may have wheezing cough and sometimes have none. In addition to this symptom, your toddler will display muscle retractions and flaring nostrils. He would also experience difficulty in breathing making feedings impossible. You will also observe your toddler rapidly breathing even while he sleeps. If you think, your toddler is breathing too rapidly, you should take him to the nearest hospital.
Another sign you should watch out for is your toddler's lack of stamina and enthusiasm during playtime. This may be because he is associating physical activities with breathing difficulties and naturally gets discouraged to join other children. Having him checked by your pediatrician can determine if your toddler has asthma.
Asthma in toddlers may be more difficult to manage. The best way to do this is to enlist the help of your care provider or his teachers. You can prepare some detailed instructions so they would know what to do in case of an asthma episode. Your toddler's pediatrician can help you prepare this set of instructions.
You should never take your toddler to a smoky place since cigarette smoke can easily trigger an asthma attack. Your pediatrician can test your child's sensitivity to dust mite protein. Sometimes, parents overlook the fact that stuffed toys are hosts to these dust mites. During falls and spring seasons when levels of pollen are high, you should limit your toddler's outdoor activities.
Emotional stress is also considered to be a trigger factor. Not only does it cause an asthma attack but it could also worsen asthma symptoms. Anxiety or panic attacks should be dealt with reasonable calm to help relax your child. The moment your toddler calms down you can administer treatment such as bronchodilator medication.
Keep your children safe and protect them from elements that can lead to long-term damage. These kinds of problems can haunt them through adulthood, so take caution when it comes to your young loved ones.
Article provided by Sven Ullmann, who runs Deserved Health - a site dedicated to different health related articles. Read more about the Asthma in Toddlers and Children.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sven_Ullmann
Since it is more difficult to diagnose asthma among infants and toddlers, it would be best to look for signs or symptoms that characterize the disease. Many cases of asthma deaths were due to the parents' failure to recognize the severity of the toddler's condition. Common colds and respiratory diseases such as bronchitis can exhibit asthma-like symptoms. But this does not mean you should ignore your child especially when he has difficulty in breathing or a wheezing cough.
When your toddler is diagnosed with asthma, it does not mean he will be forever afflicted with the disease. On the contrary, there are lots of documented cases where the toddler's asthma no longer persisted into adulthood. It can also be deduced from this observation that toddlers are more susceptible to asthma triggers but develops immunity as they grow older.
A toddler with asthma will have persistent cough that is hacking and congested. Sometimes the toddler may have wheezing cough and sometimes have none. In addition to this symptom, your toddler will display muscle retractions and flaring nostrils. He would also experience difficulty in breathing making feedings impossible. You will also observe your toddler rapidly breathing even while he sleeps. If you think, your toddler is breathing too rapidly, you should take him to the nearest hospital.
Another sign you should watch out for is your toddler's lack of stamina and enthusiasm during playtime. This may be because he is associating physical activities with breathing difficulties and naturally gets discouraged to join other children. Having him checked by your pediatrician can determine if your toddler has asthma.
Asthma in toddlers may be more difficult to manage. The best way to do this is to enlist the help of your care provider or his teachers. You can prepare some detailed instructions so they would know what to do in case of an asthma episode. Your toddler's pediatrician can help you prepare this set of instructions.
You should never take your toddler to a smoky place since cigarette smoke can easily trigger an asthma attack. Your pediatrician can test your child's sensitivity to dust mite protein. Sometimes, parents overlook the fact that stuffed toys are hosts to these dust mites. During falls and spring seasons when levels of pollen are high, you should limit your toddler's outdoor activities.
Emotional stress is also considered to be a trigger factor. Not only does it cause an asthma attack but it could also worsen asthma symptoms. Anxiety or panic attacks should be dealt with reasonable calm to help relax your child. The moment your toddler calms down you can administer treatment such as bronchodilator medication.
Keep your children safe and protect them from elements that can lead to long-term damage. These kinds of problems can haunt them through adulthood, so take caution when it comes to your young loved ones.
Article provided by Sven Ullmann, who runs Deserved Health - a site dedicated to different health related articles. Read more about the Asthma in Toddlers and Children.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sven_Ullmann
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