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Asthma Basics
by Tanya Dansky, M.D. What is asthma? Asthma occurs when the muscles constrict around the small airways of the lungs. This makes is hard for air to move in and out of the lungs and causes wheezing. (Wheezing is a whistling sound heard by listening to the lungs with a stethoscope.) What are the symptoms of asthma?
How many kids have asthma? Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood. A nationwide study recently showed that 9 million children in the US have been diagnosed with asthma. A local study has shown that 10% of children in San Diego have asthma. Asthma is more common in children whose parents or other close relatives have asthma, allergies or eczema (dry allergic skin rash). What medicines are used to treat asthma? The most common medicine used is albuterol which helps relax the constricted muscle cells and open up the airways. The most important thing for children who have had frequent asthma attacks is to try to prevent future attacks. There are a lot of different types of medicines that can be used to try to control or prevent asthma. Your child’s doctor will work to find a combination of medicines that can control asthma, treat attacks and help your child live a normal, active life in spite of having asthma! Can anything else be done besides using medicines? If the triggers of the asthma attacks can be figured out (such as an allergy to cats or exposure to tobacco smoke), then avoiding these things will be very important to prevent future attacks. There are many triggers of asthma attacks and they are different for each child, so it is important to talk to your doctor about this. (See Rady Children’s Hospital’s asthma attack guidelines for what to do during an asthma attack)
© Children's Specialists of San Diego | Medical News Archive |
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