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| Does Your Child Have Asthma? |
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What to look for:
- Anxious or scared look.
- Unusual paleness or sweating.
- Flared nostrils when the child tries to get in some air.
- Fast breathing.
- Vomiting.
- Hunched over body; the child can’t stand or sit straight and can’t relax.
- Restlessness during sleep.
- Fatigue that isn’t related to working or playing hard.
- The notch just below the child’s Adam’s apple; when some children are having an asthma episode, this notch sinks in as they breath in.
- Spaces between the ribs; these areas may sink in when the child breathes in.
- Neck muscles may tighten with inhalation.
- Lips and nails may have a greyish or bluish color.
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What to listen for:
- Coughing when the child has no cold.
- Clearing of the throat alot.
- Irregular breathing.
- Wheezing, however light.
- Noisy, difficult breathing.
“Triggers" That Can Cause Asthma Attacks
INFECTIONS - Colds, viruses, bronchitis, tonsillitis, sore throat.
LUNG IRRITATIONS - Cigar and cigarette smoke, air pollution, paint and paint thinners, hair sprays, perfume, cleaning fluids, liquid bleach, spray starch, dust, room deodorizers, spray furniture polish, chalk dust. |
OVEREXERCISE -
Running too fast, walking up stairs too fast. |
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ALLERGIES:
- Foods: Nuts, peanut butter, chocolates, eggs, orange juice, fish, milk, wheat;
- Plant products: Pollens from flowers, trees, grasses, hay, ragweed, houseplants.
- Animals: Rabbits, cats, dogs, birds (including feather pillows and down comforters), hamsters, gerbils, chickens, dust mites.
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EXCITEMENT - Being sad, worrying, laughing too hard, crying, coughing, getting excited, hyperventilating (breathing too fast), getting very angry.
NIGHTTIME - Tiredness, lying down, build up of mucus.
WEATHER - Breathing in cold air, too much humidity (such as rain and tropical climates), changes in seasons.
Note: Not all of the above triggers affect every child. Each child is different. Discuss specific triggers with your child and the doctor. |
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What to Do:
Help your child use the peak flow meter everyday.
See that medicine is taken as prescribed.
Give your child plenty of water and fruit juices.
Help your child to do his or her favorite exercises for breathing, relaxing and draining mucus.
Watch for common “triggers” for asthma attacks (see above).
Keep child away from anyone with a cold.
If you have questions or concerns, always call your Primary Care Physician.
Asthma can become controlled as each parent learns to recognize his or her own child’s triggers, helps the child recognize them, and eliminates the causes when it’s possible.
For more information about asthma or community programs, call the American Lung Association: 1 (800) 586-4872. |
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