The common name for a disease in the respiratory system is asthma. It mainly causes swelling and then narrowing in the airways in the lungs. When asthma occurs in children it is known as pediatric asthma.
This is a very commonly seen disease in children. It is known to be the main reason for children being admitted to the hospital and to be absent from school. The children who suffer from this disease normally have no problem breathing well most of the time. The problems occur when they are exposed to certain irritants or triggers, and at that time they have the chance of having an asthma attack.
There are some very common triggers that can cause the attacks to occur. Some of these triggers are animal hair, certain medications, the onset of sudden cold weather, chemicals in either the air or in certain foods, dust and moulds, pollen, cigarette smoke, infections, and strong emotions such as laughing or crying.
The number of cases of diagnosed pediatric asthma has increased greatly all over the world in the most recent years. Some say that there is a connection between this increase and the environment, especially air quality. It is very important to realize that the triggers that occur inside are equally as important as those that occur outside. They both can be the cause of having an asthma attack.
Since of course children are smaller so therefore are the air passages smaller then those of an adult. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that a trigger which may only be a small problem for an adult could possibly be a more serious concern for a child. Some attacks can appear quickly and be very serious. Because of this reason, a correct diagnoses needs to be made quickly and the correct treatment started right away. Medication may need to be given on a daily basis even though the child does not display any symptoms.
Some of the symptoms of asthma to be aware of are difficult breathing, very fast breathing, a shortness of breath even when the child is resting, a tightness in the chest area, or a cough. If the cough occurs at night and is persistent, then this is a very common sign of having asthma even though there might not be any other signs or symptoms.
If the child is having great difficulty breathing or if there is a blue colour around the lips and the face area, if there is a very fast pulse or the child is extremely upset because of the shortness in his breath, or if there is sweating and is not alert but somewhat drowsy or seems confused, then these are some of the sighs that the child is in extreme conditions and needs to get to immediate medical treatment.
Certain tests can be done to determine if the child has asthma and to what degree. A test to determine how well the lungs are functioning and to measure the flow of air in and out of the lungs will be performed. Usually a chest x-ray will be performed as well as skin and blood tests. Another test will determine the level of blood gases and the while blood cell count.
After a diagnoses is made, the doctor will decide on the best treatment for the degree of severity of the disease. A plan of action is made which will best describe how the child should be treated. The plan might include how to avoid certain triggers, how to keep watch on any symptoms and how best to take any medications that might be prescribed.