Some parents do not believe that children even toddlers can have asthma! However this is true! It is important therefore for parents to know and understand childhood asthma.
Additionally unlike most other child health issues where we as paediatricians frown on self-medication by parents, in asthma we actually encourage that! Shocked? It is true and indeed a common saying is that parents actually manage asthma in children, doctors only support!
This article and the second part will explain all you need to know about childhood asthma.
What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic condition characterized by reversible obstruction of the airways. This is because the airway of an individual with asthma is programmed to react this way when exposed to some substances or conditions. These substances / conditions are what we call triggers.
In childhood asthma, the lungs and airways become easily inflamed when exposed to certain triggers such as inhaling airborne pollen or catching a cold or other respiratory infection.
Childhood asthma can cause bothersome daily symptoms that interfere with play, sports, school and sleep. In some children, poorly managed asthma can cause dangerous asthma attacks.
Childhood asthma is not a different disease from asthma in adults. However, children tend to face unique challenges. Asthma in children is a leading cause of emergency department visits, hospitalizations and missed school days.
Among children and adolescents aged 5-17 years, asthma accounts for a loss of 10 million school days annually and costs caretakers $726.1 million per year because of work absence. So the burden of asthma extends beyond the child to the caregivers and affects productivity.
COMMON CHILDHOOD ASTHMA SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS INCLUDE:
WHEEZING : Wheezing is a musical, high-pitched whistling sound produced by obstruction to airflow. It is one of the most common symptoms of asthma. The wheezing is usually during exhalation (expiration or breathing out).
COUGH:Â Usually, the cough is nonproductive and non paroxysmal; coughing may be present with wheezing.
COUGH AT NIGHT OR WITH EXERCISE :Cough at night or with exercise may be the only symptom of asthma especially in cases of exercise-induced or nocturnal asthma. Children with nocturnal asthma tend to cough after midnight or during the early hours of morning
SHOTNESS OF BREATH OR TIGHT CHEST:Â A history of tightness or pain in the chest may be present with or without other symptoms of asthma, especially in exercise-induced or nocturnal asthma
What causes asthma?
ENVIRONMENTAL AND GENETIC FACTORS
Asthma tends to run in families. It has a genetic component. History of asthma in the maternal family is associated with a higher risk of asthma. Asthma is also commoner in males
Environmental and genetic factors have been associated with the development of asthma. Interactions between environmental and genetic factors result in airway inflammation, which limits airflow and leads to changes in the function and structure of the airways.
TRIGGERS
In most cases of asthma in children, multiple triggers or precipitants are recognized, and the patterns of reactivity may change with age. Triggers include:
1. Viral infections such as common cold
2. Exposure to air pollutants
3. Allergies to dust mites
4. Pet dander
5. Pollen or mold
6. Physical activity
7. Changes in weather or cold air
8. Previous allergic reactions including skin reactions
9. Food allergy or hay fever (allergic rhinitis)
10. Hives or eczema
11. Living in an urban area with increased exposure to air pollution
12. Obesity
13. Emotions
Any child with the symptoms listed above needs to be evaluated by a Paediatrician. At the least do see a general practitioner.
In the second and concluding part of this article, we will look at what to do when a child has an asthma attacks and how to prevent asthma attacks.
Good morning Doctor, I noticed recently that my 2years and 3months old daughter cough at night only. What might be the cause and the solution?/Thank you
It could be asthma! You should see a doctor for further evaluation first!
My son of 5years has being diagnosed but my questions is not it’s coming often like every 2weeks the midnight cough and difficulty in breathing tends to occur often.. We thought it’s cold and we now wear him socks n make sure he has cloths on but it comes often. Pls help
Your child should be on long-term treatment. You should read the Part 2 here Childhood Asthma (2) – Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention
Pls is it possible for a baby of three weeks to ve asthma
Well most paediatricians will make a diagnosis of Bronchiolitis instead at that age ….it looks exactly like asthma but diagnosis of asthma can only bemade after recurrence of the symptoms and a strong family history of asthma.
Good evening doctor, please my 4 months old son has been coughing for 3weeks. The doctor prescribed zinnat and nocof. He finshed it, then cough stop. But it as started again and this is usually when he is sleeping. What is the cause and what can be done? Thank you ma.
Hi Shola….Kindly take him back to see a Paediatrician preferably this time around for further evaluation. Are you breastfeeding exclusively? Has your child received all the necessary immunizations? All the best!
Please ma, my 2 months babby has dry cough but after taken augmentine and loratidine as prescribed by the doctor, she now coughs longer with mucous coming out. Ma is it a sign that the cough is going and more severe issue
A 2 month old SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN LORATIDINE!!! PLEASE AVOID SELF MEDICATION and see a Paediatrician immediately!!!
Well Done Doctor. God is your reward.
Amen! Thank you Mary. God bless you too!
Do children outgrow asthma or it continued throughout their adulthood
Well, some will stop having symptoms but there is always that possibility of attacks when exposed to allergic triggers.
My son has been having difficulties with breathing since he was 2month and now he is a year 10month we went to see a paediatrician who told us that it’s adenoid and he will outgrown it. The symptoms comes and goes but presently he has difficulties in breathing cough at midnight and early hours of the morning with thick carrtah coming out of his nostrils. Also when eating or crying the carrtah is usually much. Please what is the cause of this. We have been to hospital, taken many medical to no avail. So I just rest on vitamin C
Kindly see the ENT surgeons for further evaluation and management. That also does not sound like adenoids at age 2 months; I will also suggest seeing a Paediatric cardiologists. See all these specialists at the Teaching hospitals preferably for holistic evaluation and management.
Good evening Doc. My daughter is 15 months and she wheezes while sleeping and is always having catarrh. The ENT said its adenoids and she will out grow it, but I get worried often as she keeps having catarrh that makes sleeping difficult for her.once in a while she coughs in the middle of the night .
At each episodes of catarrh we use all kinds of meds and it ends up lasting for weeks (2-3).
Is there anything we can do to ease the discomfort?
Wheezing may be due to Bronchial asthma, not only adenoids; unless you meant snoring! I will rather you also see a Paediatrician preferably one with a respiratory interest at any of the teaching hospitals for further evaluation and co-management with the ENT surgeons. If truly adenoids, recurrent repiratory infections is one of the indications for the surgical removal of the adenoids
welldone ma,
My daughter of 5month started coughing persistently and now its productive atime, after doctor’s evaluation, we were prescribed to give her PIRITON EXPECTORANT AND VITAMIN C… but no improvement.
Whenever she sleep is the time she doesn’t cough but when she wakes, it comes persistently.
What should be done pls
Hi Ade! You will need to take her back to the doctor and preferably a Paediatrician for further evaluation and management!
Ma, what are the treatments for childhood Asthma? How effective are they?
Hi Teekay…Please wait for Part 2 of the article. Coming up soon; thank you for your patience!
Good work Docs,pls we are really expecting d childhood asthma (2).Thanks
Going to publish soon, thank you
Doctor, my 2 months baby had cough / nasal congestion, I took her to see the doctor who prescribed zinnat 2.5. But I have read some articles here about handling cold in babies. She is on EBF. Pls, can I go ahead and administer the drug? Don’t know why I am confused
Hi Damilola! I try not to comment on your personal doctor’s treatment plan as I did not see the baby. Information here are for general guidelines. If your child is noot having fever and no pneumonia, then antibiotics may truky not be necessary but I will advise that you discuss these concerns first with your doctor before you decide to or not to follow the recommended treatment by your own doctor who saw your child.
Good morning doctor.
My son has had on and off cough for almost 2 months now. It comes and goes,but this present one seems stubborn and is usually worse at night.
It started with a viral infection he had in April, and when the catarhh left and cough remained, we took him to the hospital in which he was treated by a paediatrician who prescribed Azythomycin and Sabutamol. It went, and returned some weeks later. Since then, no week has passed without him coughing.
He has no fever, plays very wrll (highly active) and eats VERY WELL. The cough seems to bother me than him.
I am worried ma. I have been told all sorts. ”
Some say He is just 2. He is teething. Oh!it’s the harsh weather”
I dress him up like an Eskimo. Do the steam inhalation, vapor rub, etc. Yet,no end to this cough which started barely a week after my son started going to School (he’s in Kindergarten class).
Please what do you advise?
Hi Folashade. There are many possible causes of recurrent cough in children. Bronchial asthma and Tuberculosis are top on the list. You should take him to see a Paediatrician. Children with asthma usually do not have fever or any chest infection. They can cough without any of those. It is important that you see a Paediatrician preferably one at the Paediatric Respiratory clinic of any of the Teaching Hospitals closest to you! The earlier, the better!
Well done doc
I took my 5month old baby for more evaluation like you advice and was giving broncholite syrup and vitamin c to Stop the persistent cough, we were told to also steem her body regularly but inspite all these she coughs harder, vomit the breast milk with mucus when coughing..
What should be done now ma?
Someone suggested we use augmentin because it works for her baby. Can we take to that ma?
Thanks
Please do not give antibiotics by someone’s suggestions!!! Only doctors prescribe antibiotics and your baby may not necessarily have same condition as her baby anyway. I will suggest you take her to the Children Emergency Room of the closest Teaching Hospital and see a Paediatrician for further evaluation and management. Kindly always post questions demanding fast response to our Facebook group wall http://www.facebook.com/groups/askthepaed
The second part please, and thanks you for a great work well done
Thank you for reading! I will post very soon
Here https://askthepaediatricians.com/2019/07/childhood-asthma-2-diagnosis-treatment-and-prevention/
Hello doctor,
God will reward you and your generations for being there for us.
Ma pls, my 2 years and half old daughter usually breath fast when exposed to cold or beaten by rain, she coughs at times with cattarh. Recently I took her to health care centre where she was nebulized, and I was told how to manage her health in order not to lead to asthma.
Ma, is it possible to ougrow it before adulthood, and how can I assist her to outgrow it?.
Thanks ma
It is possible to outgrow asthma but I think your baby already has asthma and the trigger is cold or rain which means you should avoid her being exposed to such. Read more in the article and also see a Paediatrician in a Teaching Hospital for further management
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