Many
Ways To Manage Childhood Asthma
Many parents of children
with asthma may have the best of intentions, but they are not
fully informed about solutions when they try to protect
their kids from allergens, notes a report in the Journal
of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
For example, instead
shutting windows to keep out pollen, parents may turn to
expensive air filters or fancy vacuums to manage the problem.
"Parents are very
enthusiastic about doing something, but a lot of times they
were using techniques that didn't make sense considering their
children's asthma triggers," says study author Dr. Michael Cabana,
a pediatrician at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Cabana and his
colleagues interviewed 896 parents of children with asthma.
Of the 1,788 steps that were taken by parents to reduce problems
for their children, only about half were generally considered
effective in preventing attacks, the researchers report.
Asthma
a Leading Problem In the US
About 17 million
people in the US have been diagnosed with asthma, with
children accounting for about 5 million of the cases.
Asthma is the leading,
serious, chronic illness among children in the US. Asthma accounts
for 14 million absences from school each year, and it is the
third-ranking cause of childhood hospitalizations under the
age of 15.
The good news from
the study is that about 80 percent of the parents knew at least
one substance that "triggered" their child's asthma, and four-fifths
of those took steps to help their children, Dr. Cabana says.
However, the Michigan
researchers also found that one-quarter of the parents surveyed
reported that at least one family member smoked but nothing
had been done to mitigate the child's exposure to tobacco smoke.
In many cases, the
parents turned to devices such as air filters, which are
not as effective as other steps they could have taken,
Dr. Cabana says.
"You might have parents
who describe their triggers as being an outdoor allergen, and
they're replacing mattresses and putting on special mattress
covers or pillow encasings," he notes. "They aren't helpful
for outdoor allergens, but they are helpful for dust mites."
In a small number
of cases, the parents took actions that could actually be harmful,
such as running a humidifier in a household where a child is
allergic to dust mites. According to the authors, a dehumidifier
is a better choice.
Dr. Katharine Woessner,
an allergist at Scripps Clinic in San Diego, agrees that humidifiers
can spell trouble. Parents "think if they add more moisture
to the air that will be helpful.
"But the more humidity
there is in the environment, the higher level of dust mites
and more potential of mold spore contamination," Dr. Woessner
says.
Pets,
Plants, Carpets - Finding the Triggers
In addition, parents
are often reluctant to give up beloved pets. And, many do not realize
that over-watered houseplants and carpets can be breeding grounds
for allergens.
"For kids, what's
going on in the environment has a huge impact on their asthma,"
she says, especially since children appear to be spending more
time indoors watching TV and playing video games.
Dr. Robert Zeiger,
head of allergy research with Kaiser Permanente in San Diego, says
that physicians can help educate parents about ways
to protect their children from asthma triggers.
For example, it is important
for parents to realize that viral infections - not environmental
triggers such as dust or pollen - contribute the most to the
asthma problems of children under age five, he says.
"Between the ages
of five and 20, probably up to 90 percent of children who
have asthma on a persistent basis have it related in large measure
due to allergies," he notes.
The researchers say
that "parents do look for information and support to take better
care of their children's asthma. Parents may spend more time
being exposed to advertisements for consumer products than they
do discussing their children's asthma with their provider.
"As a result, parents
may need guidance in placing such marketing information in proper
clinical context," they write.
So, what should you
do if your child has asthma?
"Before making major
changes to the house, before ripping up the carpet, or making
a major investment in a new air system, it's important to consult
your physician," he says.
Always consult your
child's physician for more information.
Online
Resources
(Our Organization
is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.)
American
Academy of Pediatrics
Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National
Institute of Child Health & Human Development
National
Institutes of Health (NIH)
|
October 2004
Many
Ways To Manage Childhood Asthma
Asthma
a Leading Problem In the US
Pets,
Plants, Carpets - Finding the Triggers
All
About Asthma
Online
Resources
All
About Asthma
Asthma is a chronic,
inflammatory disease in which the airways become sensitive to
allergens (any substance that triggers an allergic reaction).
Several things happen
to the airways when a child is exposed to certain triggers:
-
The lining of the airways
becomes swollen and inflamed.
-
The muscles that surround
the airways tighten.
-
The production of mucus is
increased, leading to mucus plugs.
All of these factors
will cause the airways to narrow, thus making it difficult for
air to go in and out of a child's lungs, causing the symptoms
of asthma.
The exact cause of
asthma is not completely known. It is believed to be partially
inherited, but it also involves many other environmental, infectious,
and chemical factors.
After a child is exposed
to a certain trigger, the body releases histamine and other
agents that can cause inflammation in your child's airways.
The body also releases
other factors that can cause the muscles of the airways to tighten,
or become smaller.
There is also an increase
in mucus production that may clog the airways.
Some children have
exercise-induced asthma, which is caused by varying degrees
of exercise. Symptoms can occur during, or shortly after, exercise.
Each child has different
triggers that cause the asthma to worsen. You should discuss
this with your child's physician.
The changes that occur
in asthma are believed to happen in two phases:
-
An immediate response to
the trigger leads to swelling and narrowing of the airways.
This makes it initially difficult for your child to breathe.
-
A later response, which can
happen four to eight hours after the initial exposure
to the allergen, leads to further inflammation of the
airways and obstruction of airflow.
Symptoms of asthma
may include:
-
coughing (either constant
or intermittently)
-
wheezing (this is a whistling
sound that may be heard while your child is breathing)
-
trouble breathing or shortness
of breath while your child is playing or exercising
-
chest tightness (your child
may say his or her chest hurts or does not feel good)
-
-
-
The symptoms of asthma
may resemble other problems or medical conditions. Always consult
your child's physician for a diagnosis. |
