Asthma in Children- What Parents Should Know

Asthma is a chronic disease which affects lots of people around the world and it can cause death. According to National Heart Lung And Blood Institute, in the United States, more than 22 millions people have asthma and about 27% of these people are children.

Recently, the number of children who have asthma is growing. What triggers asthma in children and in adults are the same, lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. These narrow airways will become too sensitive which leads to many symptoms such as normal cough to serious attack which could cause severe breathing interference.

What Causes Asthma?

The exact cause of asthma is not known. The main risk factor is the combination of genetic and environment. Some of the environmental factors are:
• cats or dog dander, cockroaches, house dust mite, pollen.
• tobacco smoke or other air pollutions.
• Weather change or cold weather.


How Do I Determine If My Child Has Asthma?

Not all children show the same symptoms. Even symptoms on the same child can be different depending on situation and attack. Some of the symptoms are:
• continuous coughing while playing, at night, or while laughing or crying.
• shortness of breath or fast breathing.
• wheezing, a whistling sound that occurs when you breath.


What Can You Do As A Parent

If your child is confirmed to has asthma:

• learn as much as you can about this asthma disease by reading related articles, gathering information, or by asking questions.
• know what are the causes and find ways to avoid the causes. Sometimes we as parents not aware that the something we do everyday can cause our children to have asthma. Smoking is one of the examples.
• understand the treatment method and learn how to early treat, in case of emergency before sending your child to hospital.


Finally, the whole world unites in fighting this severe chronic disease, Asthma. Since 1998 Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) has organize World Asthma Day to increase awareness of this disease and to improve the lives of people with asthma around the globe.