Bronchial asthma in a child is a chronic disease, during which the airways become inflamed and the features of the bronchi change. They are most common in children who are highly susceptible to allergic reactions.
This diagnosis in children under 5 years of age is mainly given to boys. It is difficult for parents to independently recognize the first signs of bronchial asthma in a child, which is why there is no way to conduct timely therapy. In some cases, disability is immediately issued.
Causes of occurrence
The only cause of asthma in children has not yet been discovered, but there are a number of factors that contribute to the onset of the disease. Genetic predisposition is of great importance, especially in twins.
In addition, acute viral infections of the respiratory organs associated with the immune system of the baby have a special effect. Parents needbe very attentive to the he alth of the child from the first days of his birth. Risk factors include:
- genetic predisposition;
- severe respiratory infections;
- allergies;
- difficulty breathing out;
- low birth weight;
- tobacco smoking in the house.
It is customary to distinguish two types of asthma in children, based on what exactly causes its symptoms. It is important to recognize the course of the disease in a timely manner and carry out complex treatment.
Disease forms
Irritation of the bronchi can be triggered by many different factors. One of the most common types is allergic asthma, provoked by the penetration of various allergens into the body. They can get not only with air, but also with food or through the skin. If against this background asthma develops in children, recommendations for parents are to exclude allergens from the baby's life, or at least minimize its amount.
This disease may not be allergenic, as there are many different irritants. Many bronchi can respond to physical effort, such as inhaling hot or cold air, jogging, physiological stress. Another factor is the use of certain medications. Such asthma is considered one of the most severe.
Often the bronchi react to several stimuli or all at once. Such a disease is called mixed. Children are very sensitive to stresssmell and various stresses.
Feature of symptoms
Signs of asthma in a child can vary greatly. However, in all cases, there is difficulty breathing, which can occur after physical exertion or emotional upheaval. Children very often complain of difficulty in exhaling. The air is exhaled for a long time, heavily and with a characteristic wheeze or whistle.
If parents notice such breathing in a baby, then you should immediately sign up for a consultation with a doctor, as this is considered the main symptom of bronchial asthma in children. It is worth noting that such a manifestation can also occur with other common diseases, in particular, such as influenza, colds, bronchitis. However, in this case, other symptoms also occur.
Attack of bronchial asthma in children can begin suddenly and it proceeds with wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath. In some cases, it can develop very slowly, with a gradual increase in symptoms. This state can last for several minutes or drag on for a couple of hours or even days. A few days before the onset of the main signs of the disease, the child may experience the first symptoms of asthma. During this period, children are capricious, very irritated and do not sleep well. Among the main manifestations of bronchial asthma in a child can be noted such as:
- liquid mucus after baby wakes up;
- dry cough;
- suffocation after sleep.
It is worth noting that symptoms may vary depending on the age of the baby. In infants, a paroxysmal cough may occurbefore or after sleep. It is worth noting that the attack becomes much less if the baby is in an upright position. Shortly before this, the child begins to act up and cry a lot. Parents may notice mild shortness of breath, and wheezing and whistling appear during breathing. Breathing becomes erratic.
If all these symptoms do not go away for several days and are additionally accompanied by asthma attacks, then you should definitely call an ambulance.
Diagnostics
To diagnose "bronchial asthma" in children, be sure to consult a doctor and complete all the required studies. Initially, the doctor makes an anamnesis of the course of the disease, in particular, to interview the parents of the child, and also to examine the baby. Detecting the disease in the initial stages is quite difficult, so parents need to be especially careful to tell the doctor about all the features of the course of asthma. The medical history must be studied. Bronchial asthma in a child can have a variety of manifestations, so the doctor must understand exactly what the peculiarity and severity of the pathology are.
During the initial examination, the doctor performs auscultation, that is, he listens to the child's lungs, counts the number of breaths and their depth. Another way to diagnose is the probing of the bronchi. In addition, the diagnosis of bronchial asthma in children implies:
- blood test;
- chest x-raycells;
- sputum analysis;
- cardiogram.
If the diagnosis is confirmed, then an allergy test is required to determine the cause that provoked the disease. After that, complex therapy is prescribed, which will help get rid of the existing problem and normalize well-being.
What can provoke an attack
Exacerbation of the disease in a child can be triggered by various factors that provoke an asthma attack. Most often, this condition is provoked by:
- home and book dust;
- infectious diseases;
- temperature difference;
- neuro-psychic injuries.
Since dust is the main cause of disturbance, it is necessary to clean the premises daily to minimize the impact of this factor. Do not litter the nursery with unnecessary things, put upholstered furniture, and also minimize soft toys. It is not recommended to use carpets as a floor covering, as well as to place a lot of books.
An attack of bronchial asthma in a child can be provoked by plant pollen, particles of animal skin, as well as some food components. To reduce the number of seizures, you need to limit walks during the period of active flowering of plants, reduce the contact of the baby with pets, and also avoid feather beds and pillows.
Most often, some food components act as allergens, which is why you need to adhere to a strict hypoallergenic diet with the exclusion of those foods that can provokeexacerbation. For each, this set of products is individual, so you need to track the reaction of the body in order to know exactly what exactly you need to give up.
Bronchial asthma in a child can be provoked by infectious diseases, which is why it is necessary to carry out vaccinations in a timely manner, harden the body, and also take other preventive measures. It is important to surround the baby with care and attention, as well as protect it from unwanted stress. Children are very sensitive to changes in the mood of their parents, so you need to try to be in a good mood all the time.
In the cold season, you need to reduce the number of walks on the street, as cold air, excessive dryness and high humidity can provoke bronchospasm, which provokes a coughing fit.
Help during an attack
Depending on the history of the disease, bronchial asthma in a child can be quite acute. During an attack, the baby immediately begins to experience severe weakness, becomes overly restless, overexcited, he is often tormented by an intermittent dry cough. At the same time, sweating increases, the heartbeat and pulse quicken.
If a baby has an asthma attack, then you should not panic, you need to remain calm and try to calm the child, remove tight clothes from him, open a window for fresh air. It is undesirable to put the baby to bed, as this will make breathing even more difficult.
You need to give the child warm water to drink, as it will help cleanselungs from sputum and this will reduce the attack. An inhaler or nebulizer can help, which can be supplemented with Eufillin. It is advisable to make a warm bath for the feet and hands. If all these measures do not stop the attack within 30 minutes, then you need to call an ambulance, as the subsequent wait may lead to respiratory arrest.
Features of treatment
Therapy of bronchial asthma in children is selected depending on the assessment of the results of the diagnosis. You need to visit the doctor at least 1 time in 3-4 weeks. The quality of the treatment provided largely depends on the frequency of seizures during the day and at night, as well as on their severity and the condition of the sick child.
Treatment of bronchial asthma in children is carried out mainly by non-drug means. To do this, you need to try to eliminate the factors that contribute to the progression of the disease, in particular, allergens and tobacco smoke. It is from this time that complex treatment should begin.
During an attack, special bronchial receptor stimulants help very well, which are taken only when there are pronounced signs of the disease. In addition, along with asthma, it is also necessary to carry out therapy for concomitant diseases, especially if they are associated with damage to the respiratory system. Symptoms and treatment of bronchial asthma in children largely depend on the characteristics of the pathology. If its course is severe, then children are prescribed basic therapy designed to prevent an attack.
Usually, inhalations with drugs that act locally on the mucous membrane are used for thisbronchi. In particular, glucocorticosteroids, such as Beclomethasone, are used.
Drug therapy
It is important to quickly and comprehensively help a child with bronchial asthma, as this disease can lead to suffocation and even death. There are many different drugs for the treatment of children with asthma. All of them are divided into means for quick relief of an attack and preventive ones. The action of drugs designed to quickly stop an attack is based on the expansion of the bronchi.
In particular, you can use inhalers with drugs such as Berotek, Salbutamol, Ventalin. They should always be with a sick child, so it is important that he always takes it, even if he leaves the house for a short time.
Prophylactic agents include long-acting bronchodilators, antileukotriene drugs, and corticosteroids. They are used to treat severe forms of the disease. In special cases, biological agents may be used.
In some cases, theophyllines may be additionally prescribed, but they must be taken very carefully, as there is a high risk of side effects. Non-hormonal drugs are rarely prescribed, as they are not effective enough.
Corticosteroids help effectively reduce inflammation in the body. Bronchodilators quickly eliminate symptoms, dilate the airways, but do not treat inflammation. Themcan only be taken with anti-inflammatory drugs.
Some doctors prescribe antibiotics during an exacerbation, but it is worth remembering that this group of drugs cannot be used for quality asthma treatment. Even if yellowish sputum is released when coughing, this does not at all mean the presence of pus in the child's body.
Folk techniques
Together with medications, alternative therapy is sometimes prescribed. They help to increase the time interval between attacks, reduce the occurrence of side effects from drugs and alleviate the child's condition. Often, in the presence of shortness of breath and cough, it is recommended to use a medicinal collection prepared on the basis of:
- nettles;
- coltsfoot;
- elecampane;
- licorice;
- ledum.
These products help thin mucus and have an expectorant effect. St. John's wort, a decoction or infusion of which has a neutral aftertaste, will help reduce the signs of allergies, which is why children drink it with great pleasure. There are also cases of curing the disease in children with the help of ginger. Its tincture should be taken every 2 days, and before going to bed it is recommended to do foot baths. During therapy, hypothermia of the child should not be allowed. Aromatherapy, which is carried out with thyme, lavender or tea tree oil, has a good effect.
Sometimes, under the influence of stress, there is a manifestation of bronchial asthma in children. Clinical recommendations in this case relate to yoga, breathing exercises. It is important to keep your breath under control, as this will get rid of negative experiences. Yoga is good for kids of all ages.
For treatment, acupuncture, breathing exercises, sanitary-resort treatment are sometimes used. All these therapies are selected purely individually and very carefully.
Possible Complications
Exacerbation of asthma in children often occurs during the course of colds. As a result, there is an increase in inflammation in the airways. During this period, an increase in the dosage of medications is required. The main measure to prevent exacerbation is vaccination. Severe cases of illness require disability registration and benefits.
Complications of bronchial asthma occur very rarely and often they are the result of untimely or incorrect treatment. As a result of stagnation of air in the lungs, pneumothorax can occur, which implies a rupture of the lung and the penetration of air into the pleural cavity. In addition, emphysema and acute respiratory failure may develop.
Prophylaxis
It is important not only to carry out the treatment correctly, but also to do everything necessary so that the attacks of the disease occur as rarely as possible. Competent prevention of bronchial asthma in children is very important, and it must be carried out not only to reduce the number of attacks, but also when there is a genetic predisposition todisease.
Doctors recommend breastfeeding a baby from the first days of his life to 1 year. If for some reason this is not possible, then you need to carefully select the milk mixture and consult a specialist about this. Complementary foods should be introduced only with the recommendation of a pediatrician, and the products are given to the baby gradually. Foods containing allergens should be avoided.
Prevention of the development of bronchial asthma implies the use of bedding containing hypoallergenic fillers. It is necessary to observe meticulous hygiene in the room where the child is. You need to do wet cleaning all the time. It is important to maintain immunity, as well as prevent the development of allergies. The diet of the child should be varied. With food, he should receive all the required vitamins and other useful substances.
Rehabilitation activities
With bronchial asthma in children, the doctor's recommendations must be carefully followed. Rehabilitation of the disease is required, including:
- hardening;
- physiotherapy exercises;
- sanatorium treatment;
- massage.
Rehabilitation is required only after the clinical manifestations of the disease have been eliminated. This will normalize the well-being of the child and prevent the development of complications. A good method of prevention is sanatorium treatment, since mineral water, clean air, goodclimatic conditions, he alth procedures. Children with disabilities are shown getting a ticket. Before visiting the sanatorium, it is recommended to treat acute diseases and prevent chronic pathologies.
It is recommended to visit sanatoriums located in the area where the baby lives. This will prevent an asthma attack, as he will not have to adapt to climatic conditions. The period of stay in the sanatorium is at least a month.
Respiratory gymnastics is aimed at increasing the elasticity of lung tissue. Such prophylaxis is very effective during an attack, as it helps to prevent the occurrence of complications. The simplest method is considered to be inflating balloons.
Bronchial asthma is quite common, as there are many factors that provoke its development. That is why complex prevention is required, and, if necessary, treatment.
