Does my child have asthma?
Facts | 10/02/2021
Is your child wheezing or coughing more than usual or complaining of a tight chest during play? It may just be a cough or a sniffle, or it could mark the onset of childhood asthma. How can you be sure? And what would having asthma mean for your child’s day-to-day life?
First, if your child is diagnosed with asthma, please remember that you’re not alone. Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases affecting children. Nearly 10 per cent of children living in a European Union country have been diagnosed with some form of asthma. Although asthma is classified as a chronic disease, in most cases it can be kept very well in check.
Asthma is a condition that causes airways to narrow and swell and produce extra mucus when exposed to what are known asthma triggers – breathing infections like a common cold, contact with various allergens like dust, pollen or pet hair, exercise, inhaling cold air or even air pollution.
Because children have smaller airways than adults, even small amounts of swelling can block the flow of air making breathing difficult. And, of course, children can’t easily tell us what they are feeling, so they should be monitored carefully for symptoms.
What are the most common asthma symptoms to look for?
Some parents worry that if their asthmatic child becomes too emotional, it will trigger an attack. But there’s little formal research to support this and with a daily asthma medication plan, there’s no reason your child can’t safely experience the whole range of childhood emotions, and even fast running games. In fact, the better fitness a child can get through exercise, the better asthma control they will have.
Childhood asthma can be managed with a regular controller medication – typically inhaled steroids. Rescue medication with inhaled bronchodilators helps to ease the symptoms.
If play is the work of childhood, then all children should be able to participate to the fullest. A correct diagnosis combined with the right asthma plan can make the difference for your child between being a spectator or an active partaker of all the fun and games of a good childhood.
By Laurel Colless
Photo by iStock
Date of preparation: January 2023 / EASYH-1198(2)
| If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) website: www.hpra.ie or email medsafety@hpra.ie |
Orion Corporation is a globally operating Finnish pharmaceutical company. We develop, manufacture and market human and veterinary pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. The dry powder inhaler developed at Orion is in the core of our respiratory therapy area.
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