If you or your child suffers from asthma, you’ve probably heard the term, “pediatric asthma”. However, understanding exactly what pediatric asthma is and how it affects your child is critical in managing their asthma. Furthermore, you may be wondering, does pediatric asthma only apply to children? Perhaps you’re even wondering if your child will outgrow pediatric asthma as they get older. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is Pediatric Asthma?
Affecting about 8.4% of children in the United States, pediatric asthma is a chronic inflammation in the airways that results in difficulty breathing. Although the severity of the inflammation can vary, the results and symptoms are generally the same.
There are several different triggers that can cause pediatric asthma to flare up. Some children have allergic asthma, which is caused by allergens such as pollen, pet hair, mold, etc. Other children may contract virus-induced asthma which means that asthma may only flare up when they’re sick with a cold or similar illness.
Another type of asthma that some children suffer from is exercise-induced. If your child begins coughing or has trouble breathing after playing outside or exercising they may have this type of asthma.
The symptoms of asthma, regardless of the type, are typically the same. Coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath are among the most common symptoms. If your child experiences these symptoms, they may have pediatric asthma.
Do You Outgrow Pediatric Asthma?
Asthma symptoms may appear early on in your child’s life. Depending on how serious the symptoms are, it’s possible for that asthma to disappear as they grow older. However, there is always a chance that it may come back later on. Children with severe asthma may never outgrow it.
One of the difficult aspects of pediatric asthma is that the symptoms may be caused by a variety of things, making it difficult to properly diagnose and manage in young children. Illnesses such as bronchitis, recurrent pneumonia, or bronchiolitis can often be mistaken for pediatric asthma. However, it is possible to diagnose and manage your child’s asthma early on.
How To Manage Pediatric Asthma
Managing pediatric asthma may sound difficult and overwhelming, but a few simple steps can help you manage your child’s condition while still allowing them to live a normal life. Once your child has been diagnosed with pediatric asthma, your physician will likely prescribe drugs known as asthma controllers.
One of the more common asthma controllers is a corticosteroid which is inhaled through an inhaler tool. To effectively use this, make sure you and your physician educate your child on how to use their tool in the case of an asthma attack.
While there are several different medications to help treat asthma once it flares up, one of the most effective ways to help your child is to continuously monitor their condition so you can be aware when their asthma is starting to get worse. An effective way to monitor asthma is through Aluna.
Aluna is a spirometer that measures lung function and communicates results and information with your child’s healthcare professional. With the use of a fun app, your child can regularly measure their lung function and identify when a possible asthma attack may be coming as the seasons change and possible triggers become increasingly common.
