What Is Asthma?
- Asthma is a chronic disease of the tubes that carry air to the lungs. These airways become narrow and their linings become swollen, irritated, and inflamed.
- In patients with asthma, the airways are always irritated and inflamed, even though symptoms are not always present.
What are the Symptoms of Asthma?
- Wheezing, the classic symptom
- Cough
- Tight chest
- Trouble breathing
What are the Symptoms of Asthma?
- Wheezing, the classic symptom
- Cough
- Tight chest
- Trouble breathing
What are the Causes (Triggers) of Asthma Attacks?
- Infections that affect breathing (like colds or the flu)
- Pollens (trees, grass and weeds)
- Animals (like cats or rabbits)
- Tobacco smoke
- Irritants (such as smog, car exhaust, menthol vapors, barns, dirty basement)
- Food Allergy (Serious). Asthma attacks caused by food allergy can be life-threatening (anaphylaxis). Examples are nuts or fish.
Asthma Attack Scale
- Mild:
- No Shortness of Breath (SOB) at rest. Mild SOB with walking. Can talk normally. Speaks in sentences.
- Can lay down flat.
- Wheezes not heard or mild.
- Green Zone: Peak Flow Rate 80-100% of normal rate)
- Moderate:
- SOB at rest.
- Speaks in phrases.
- Wants to sit (can’t lay down flat).
- Wheezing can be heard. Retractions are present (ribs pull in with each breath).
- (Yellow Zone: Peak Flow Rate 50-80% of normal rate)
- Severe:
- Severe SOB at rest.
- Speaks in single words.
- Struggling to breathe.
- Wheezing may be loud or absent. Retractions may be severe.
- (Red Zone: Peak Flow Rate less than 50% of normal rate)
Peak Flow Meter:
A peak flow meter measures Peak Flow Rates (PFR). It tells us how well a person can move air out of the lungs. A PFR can be used in children 6 years and older.
How is asthma treated?
- Asthma is treated with different types of medicines. The medicines can be inhalers, liquids, or pills.
- Your doctor will prescribe medicine based on your child’s age and his or her symptoms.
- Asthma medicines work in 1 of 2 ways:
- Quick-relief medicines stop symptoms quickly. These medicines should only be used once in a while. If your child regularly needs these medicines more than twice a week, tell his or her doctor.
- Long-term controller medicines control asthma and prevent future symptoms. If your child has frequent symptoms or several severe episodes in a year, he or she might need to take these each day
- Almost all children with asthma use an inhaler with a device called a “spacer.” Some children also need a machine called a “nebulizer” to breathe in their medicine. A doctor or nurse will show you the right way to use these.
- Asthma that is not treated with the right medicines can:
- Prevent children from doing normal activities, such as playing sports
- Make children miss school
- Damage the lungs
What is an asthma action plan?
An asthma action plan is a list of instructions that tell you:
- What medicines your child should use at home each day.
- What warning symptoms to watch for (which suggest that asthma is getting worse)
- What other medicines to give your child if the symptoms get worse
- When to get help or call for an ambulance