What is Asthma
What Is Asthma?
Asthma is a condition that causes breathing problems due to the airways in the lungs getting swollen, smaller, and/or filled with mucus.
What Causes Asthma?
No one knows exactly why some people develop asthma. Experts think it might be a combination of environmental factors and genes.
How Asthma Affects Breathing
With asthma, the airways of the lungs may swell, fill with mucus and the muscles around the airways may tighten, making it harder for air to move through the airways.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Asthma?
Flare-ups or “attacks.” are when symptoms get worse due to the airways getting irritated and inflamed. Things that can irritate the airways are called “triggers.”
During a flare-up, kids might have:
- trouble breathing
- a tight chest
- a whistling sound while breathing (wheezing)
- a cough
- a fast heartbeat
Flare-ups can happen suddenly or build up over time. Flare-ups can be very serious, so it is important to be aware of triggers and symptoms. Always seek medical attention for any flare ups or attacks. Remember, CONTACT 911 in case of all emergencies.
Treatment:
Treatment involves two important things: avoiding triggers and taking medicine. Most medicines are breathed directly into the lungs (inhaled), but some are pills or liquids. There are two types of asthma medicines:
Quick-relief medicines act fast to open up tight airways. These kinds of medicines are also called “fast-acting” or “rescue” medicines.
Long-term control medicines manage asthma by preventing symptoms from happening. They reduce inflammation in the airways. Long-term control medicines — also called “controller” or “maintenance” medicines — must be taken even when kids feel well.
Asthma management — keeping an asthma diary to track your child’s symptoms and medicines will help you know when your child is more likely to have a flare-up. A peak-flow meter, can help measure breathing ability; peak flow readings drop, may be a sign of narrowing airways.
Source/For more information – kidshealth.org