Taking a breath is supposed to be a refreshing, relaxing thing to do.
But for children who suffer from asthma, their breath is literally
taken away. The victims begin to wheeze, or breathing becomes deeply
labored as the air passages to the lungs are blocked.
Hear the cry: "Mommy, I ... can’t ... breathe."
Asthma affects about 4 million American children under the age of 18.
It is a lung disease that is the leading chronic illness among children
and a major cause of school absences. It is the number one reason
children are admitted to The Children’s Mercy Hospital, according to
Dr. Jay Portnoy, chief of the Section of Allergy and Immunology at
Children’s Mercy.
"But there is treatment available that helps tremendously," Portnoy
says. "No child should have to suffer frequent attacks or make frequent
trips to the emergency room. Their activity should not have to be
limited."
Asthma is a respiratory illness in which the bronchial tubes, or small
air passages of the lungs, become temporarily narrowed, making it
difficult for a child to breath. The muscles surrounding the bronchial
tubes go into spasms, the lung tissues swell and excess mucus
accumulates within the air passages.
The major triggers of asthma in children under five are viral
illnesses. In older children, the primary triggers are allergies: most
common are those to pollen, dust mites, mold, animal dander and
feathers. Other irritants include food allergies, exercise, stress,
cold air and bouts of forceful laughing or crying.
Recently, Children’s Mercy became the first hospital in the country to
make a daily count of latex particles in the air, which come from
disintegrating automobile tires. Portnoy and other researchers believe
this "tire dust" could be responsible for the current worldwide
epidemic of asthma during the past several years.
If you suspect your child has asthma, you should discuss the matter
with your pediatrician, who may refer you to one of the pediatric
asthma experts at Children’s Mercy.
The doctors will ask you if the child has had episodes of wheezing,
whether the child has been to the emergency room and whether the child
has had positive responses to medication or other treatment. The doctor
will also ask if the child has had bouts of coughing, exercise
intolerance, breathing problems with cold and other viral illness and
allergic reactions.
The child’s pulmonary functions will be tested to measure how well the
child pushes air out of the lungs. Other tests, such as blood work and
chest X-rays, may also be helpful in diagnosing asthma.
If asthma is diagnosed, the doctor will determine a course of
treatment. Each case is different.
Avoiding allergens may be part of the treatment, so children may have
to stay away from tobacco or wood smoke or other irritants. You may
have to keep your home meticulously clean and dust free. Parents may
also be asked to keep a detailed diary of asthma attacks, noting what
the children were doing right before the onset of the attacks.
While this may seem like a lot of work and sacrifice, it’s important to
keep it in perspective. Although asthma can be serious and pose many
challenges, it can be overcome. In fact, doctors agree that children
with asthma can lead happy, active and normal lives.
"The best news is that we have positive results to treatment," Portnoy
says. "We really can make kids better so they can go about the business
of being kids, not hospital patients."
