Asthma
PREVENTING Flare-Ups
SYMPTOMS AND MEDICATIONS By Deb Hickman, DNP, RN, CPNP
MANAGING YOUR CHILD’S
mation and mucus production in the big and little airways. Children with asthma have airways that react (tighten) easily when exposed to triggers such as aller- gens or colds and respiratory infections. It’s important to understand asthma, your child’s medications and how to manage flare-ups.
A
Recognizing the Signs of Asthma
Since asthma symptoms vary from person to person, you need to know your child’s symptoms. Those that occur more often or are more bothersome may indicate that asthma is getting worse. Common symp- toms of asthma include:
* Wheezing, a high-pitched whistling sound when breathing out. However,
many kids with asthma never wheeze.
* Shortness of breath or heavy breathing. * Coughing or wheezing attacks that are made worse with respiratory viruses.
* Trouble sleeping because of coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath.
* Trouble with activity because of cough- ing, wheezing or shortness of breath.
* Chest pain or chest tightness. 28
sthma is a chronic condition of the lungs and airways caused by inflam-
The Role of Medications Your child may be on one or more asthma medications, depending on the severity of the asthma. There are two main cat- egories of asthma medications: long-term controller medications and quick-relief medications. Oral steroids may also be used during asthma flare-ups. Long-term medications used for asthma in kids include inhaled steroids and oral medicines called leukotriene modifiers. It is important to remember that chronic inflammation in the lungs is the main problem for those with asthma. Inhaled steroids act directly on the lungs to reduce inflammation, preventing asthma symptoms. Unlike steroids taken by mouth, inhaled steroids are much less potent and have fewer side effects. They are generally safe for children but must be taken daily to be effective. They do not give quick relief and should not be used as needed. Another medicine used to treat asthma is leukotriene modifiers (example: montelukast). Leukotrienes are a substance released by lung and airway tissue that can cause inflammation leading to tightening of the airways. This is a com- mon oral asthma medicine taken daily that blocks the release of leukotrienes,
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