Due to increasing pollution and changing weather conditions, health-related problems have arisen in millions of people. Asthma is a serious issue in children. India alone has 10 percent of the world’s asthma patients, which according to WHO reaches 15 to 20 million asthma patients.
What is asthma?
Asthma is a lung disease in which it becomes difficult for the patient to breathe normally. Our lungs are a network of interconnected air pipes like a tree. Asthma causes these pipes to become inflamed, filling their lumen with mucus, and narrowing the air passages. Because of this there is difficulty in breathing. It’s almost like being asked to breathe through a straw that gets narrower and narrower. Additionally, there is a greater response to allergens in the inflammatory pathways, which further increases the inflammation and worsens the existing condition.
bronchial asthma in children
Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease, and its incidence is increasing day by day. This disease can start at any age. However, most people have their first symptoms before the age of 5 years. Thus, asthma in children is a frightening sight. Although the exact causes of asthma in children are unclear, some risk factors are listed below:
• History of asthma in parents or siblings
• Exposure to tobacco smoke before or after birth
• Respiratory infections in early childhood
• Low birth weight or premature birth
• Nasal allergy
• Itching
What are the symptoms of asthma?
Symptoms of asthma can vary and include the following:
• Coughing again and again
• Excessive cough while playing, laughing or crying or at night.
• Chronic cough or cough lasting more than two to three weeks.
• Low energy during sports
• breathing rapidly
• Complaint of chest tightness or chest pain
• Whistling or wheezing while breathing
• Shortness of breath, shortness of breath
• Tightening of neck and chest muscles
• Prolonged weakness or fatigue
• Apart from these, consult a doctor if any symptoms of asthma in children like hyper reaction, allergy, asthma attack, rashes on the body or asthma attack occur. The child may complain of chest tightness or chest pain.
Be careful of triggers
Asthma in children can occur due to the following reasons:
• Dust, allergies, pollen etc.
• cigarette smoke
• Areas with heavy air pollution
• Exposure to chemicals or dust
• Colds and other viral upper respiratory infections
• Spraying material
• Physical activity, including exercise and sometimes sports
Management of asthma
Asthma affects different people in different ways. While one child may suffer from persistent asthma symptoms every day, another may experience symptoms only once. Whatever the case, you have to be actively involved in managing asthma. If you experience asthma symptoms more than three times a week, your asthma is not well managed.
The doctor says that the main importance behind this is that next time ask your doctor for answers to all the questions. Make sure that the child takes medicines on time. Know how the inhaler works and carry it with you at all times.
Read and learn as much as you can about asthma, how it affects different allergies in every child, understand the patterns and follow self-management techniques.
Let your child be active. Asthma does not stop children from playing. With precautions, children can engage in physical activities and remain healthy.
Management for bronchial asthma
Short-acting bronchodilators such as salbutamol or terbutaline as well as anti-inflammatory agents such as budesonide or fluticasone propionate and other oral corticosteroid agents for bronchial asthma respond more to alternative treatments such as homeopathy. There are many cases of people who have completely recovered from bronchodilators and corticosteroid therapy after taking a course of homeopathic medicines.
Homeopathic medicines help in curing bad breath and allergies from time to time and strengthen the immune system and hence help in fighting virus and bacterial infections without the use of external antibiotic agents.
Therefore it is especially advisable to seek consultation and treatment from a homeopathic physician for diseases like bronchial asthma in infants and children with a family history of asthma as well as other children.