One of the most traumatic experiences a child will ever face is an asthma attack.
Unfortunately, asthma in kids is widespread, and more kids than ever before are being diagnosed with it.
While it can begin at any age, most children experience their initial symptoms by the age of five.
As a parent, it is essential that you and your kid learn about asthma together - its causes and symptoms, and how it can be controlled.
This article will help to make you more aware of asthma in kids and its treatment.
First, let's look at what asthma is and how it's caused in kids.
Asthma is a chronic, respiratory disease that causes inflammation and narrowing of airways which transport air into and out of lungs, thus resulting in difficulty in breathing.
While experts still don't know for sure what the exact causes of asthma are, there are some common factors found among kids with asthma.
Smoking during pregnancy and genetics are two of these factors.
It can also be a result of allergies resulting from airborne and food sources.
But how do you know whether or not your child has asthma? Often, asthma is not diagnosed in early childhood, because the child fails to distinguish between a small discomfort and an actual breathing condition.
It then becomes your responsibility to identify the common symptoms which could trigger an asthma attack in your kid, and also to educate them about the symptoms.
Asthma symptoms in a child may range from mild to severe.
If he coughs or wheezes a lot, and has trouble sleeping because of it, that should alert you to a problem immediately.
Other symptoms which you should take as a warning are if your child has a tendency to get tired easily during physical activities, or complains of feeling tightness in the chest.
It is vital to get your child treated for asthma as soon as any of these symptoms arise.
You can also prevent some attacks by making them aware of their specific 'asthma triggers', in the hopes of avoiding them.
The doctor will chart out a treatment plan based on his symptoms and some other factors, which should be followed closely by you and your child.
It is natural for a parent to feel helpless, at times, when seeing their child having an asthma attack or during a treatment.
This disease can lower your child's quality of life.
However, with a proper treatment plan, you can help them lead a normal childhood, without worrying too much about when the next attack might occur.