When your child has pediatric asthma, his lungs and airways will get easily inflamed when he has a cold or is in an environment with allergens. Asthma symptoms will make it impossible for the youngster to participate in his everyday activities or even sleep and can earn him a trip to his doctor. Childhood asthma is not different from asthma in adults. However, your child will face unique challenges. Therefore, you must know the triggers and have your doctor devise a long-term plan to help your child manage his symptoms. At Argyle Pediatrics, Carrie Jones, MD and her team of professionals offers comprehensive evaluations to get to the root cause of asthma & allergies in Argyle. Dr. Jones and her staff provide various treatment options to alleviate their patients’ asthma-related symptoms.
Though there is no permanent cure for childhood asthma, you could work with your pediatrician to alleviate the condition’s symptoms and prevent it from getting into his growing lungs. During diagnosis, you must tell your doctor if the condition runs in your family. Suppose any of your family members have a history of allergies and asthma, it is likely that your child will also have them.
What are the signs your child will likely have with childhood asthma?
Asthma symptoms are not similar in every child. Additionally, your child could have varying symptoms in different episodes. However, you will suspect your child has an attack when he shows signs like:
- A persistent cough
- A cough that worsens when the child has a viral infection
- Rapid breathing
- Trouble sleeping because of breathing difficulties
- Less energetic during a sports activity. Your child could also have frequent pauses to catch breath during physical activities.
- Chest retractions
- Chest tightness and pain
- Wheezing or whistling sound during breathing
- Fatigue and weakness
- Difficulty eating
- Delayed recovery after a respiratory infection
Your child’s symptoms could worsen or improve over time. His symptoms could also range from only one symptom an episode to various signs in a different episode. The common triggers of a pediatric asthma episode include:
- Stress
- Exercises
- Airway infections
- Allergens
- Irritants
How will your doctor treat pediatric asthma?
Asthma treatment entails preventing the condition’s symptoms and treating it in its progressive state. The child’s initial treatment depends on the symptoms’ severity, age, triggers, and what best keeps your child under control. If your child is under three years with mild symptoms, your pediatrician could use the observation approach to monitor its progression. However, if your child’s wheezing episodes are severe, your doctor could prescribe medications to manage his symptoms.
Your doctor could also recommend long-term medications to minimize inflammation in the infant’s airways. The control treatment options your doctor could suggest include:
- Combination inhalers
- Inhaled corticosteroids
- Leukotriene modifiers
- Theophylline
- Immunomodulatory agents
In cases where your child needs urgent treatment to open his airways, your doctor could recommend rescue medications for rapid-short term relief from one of his episodes.
Suspecting your child is having an asthma attack by evaluating his symptoms could be challenging. Symptoms like wheezing are likely to result from infectious bronchitis or a different respiratory problem. However, you should not ignore taking your child to see his pediatrician when you suspect his symptoms. Contact your asthma and allergies doctor today to help your child manage their symptoms.