Asthma or Not? Cough in Children With Asthma
A cough can be caused by asthma, if it refuses to disappear for days, weeks or months, is worse at night or in the morning, or comes and goes without warning.
Children are more likely to get asthma if they suffer from a chronic skin disease called baby eczema, or if their mother or other close relatives have asthma.
Children and teenagers can develop asthma at any age. Thus, it is important to recognize that a child can have asthma, regardless of the age at which such a cough begins.
Unfortunately, many parents are reluctant to accept an asthma diagnosis, a dilemma that leads to unnecessary pain and suffering, until treatment, and even death. For parents who cannot deal with their child's asthma, I have good news: asthma-related coughs get better with the right medication. Also, children can develop asthma.
People with asthma have sensitive, hypersensitive lungs, like people with eczema have sensitive skin.
A sensitive lung may go into spasm or contraction at any time. The spasm narrows the small airways, restricting the flow of air inside the lungs and causing difficulty in asthma. During such an asthma attack, patients may experience shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, rapid breathing, chest tightness, or discomfort.
Breathing is a high-pitched sound that occurs in the chest of a person with asthma. Loud enough that people nearby can hear; but other times it can only be heard by clinicians listening to the chest with a stethoscope.
Causes asthma:
Viruses, cold weather, pets such as cats and dogs, dust, dirt, cockroaches, pollutants, paint smoke, perfume, waste, fire, pollen, and cigarette smoke can trigger a runny or runny nose that can trigger an episode of sensitive lungs. .can cough and wheezing. Exercise, like emotion, can cause coughing and shortness of breath in people with sensitive lungs.
Coughing is often one of the symptoms of asthma. Parents and caregivers bring their children to the clinic when the cough persists for several days and does not go away with cough syrup. Cough bothers children; can prevent sleep at night or during the day, cause vomiting, fear of eating, and even cause vomiting. When a child has a cough and fever together, there is a possibility of a more serious illness, such as pneumonia.
Severity of asthma:
When evaluating children with asthma, it is important to assess the severity of symptoms. Some children have an intermittent form of asthma, while others have a chronic form.
People with regular form of asthma experience symptoms only once. People who have a chronic form often experience a level of symptoms, usually weekly or daily, sometimes even several times a day.
Doctors look for signs of complications when a child has asthma. Pulling or 'retraction' of the pectoral muscles in the patient indicates air hunger and pain.
If there is no obvious wheezing, chest pull, or spontaneous coughing, I ask the child to cough enough that I can hear them if they are comfortable enough.
You can often tell where the cough comes from by the sound: from the throat, pharynx, or deep in the chest. The latter means that the lungs are the source of the problem and become a symptom of asthma. This distinction is important.
Respiratory rate, temperature, pulse, and oxygen saturation are some of the vital signs taken during the initial examination.
Asthma diagnosis:
Doctors can diagnose asthma in a patient with a cough by listening to the chest with a stethoscope. A high-pitched musical sound, known as a flute, indicates this condition. When the patient's symptoms are reduced by using a bronchodilator such as albuterol, the diagnosis is clear
Asthma treatment:
Asthma medications, called bronchodilators, aim to open narrowed airways so air can enter the lungs. Another drug called 'inhaled steroids' reduces mucus production and inflammation in the small airways. People with frequent asthma attacks should use two medications. The doctor should explain the details of the use.
Asthma Control and Prevention:
Prevention is the key to asthma. People and conditions must avoid certain environmental triggers; certain allergens-dust, cats, dogs, smoke, cockroaches, etc. Different asthmatics may have different triggers.
An asthma action plan is a set of steps that doctors guide patients through.
