Bronchial asthma in children is characterized by chronic inflammation of the respiratory tract, occurring against the background of changes in bronchial reactivity. Bronchial asthma is a fairly common disease among children. Allergic mechanisms play a particularly important role in its development, which is why bronchial asthma is often associated with other allergic diseases. Asthma is a very dangerous disease, especially in children, and therefore requires particularly careful diagnosis and treatment.
Causes of bronchial asthma in children
Bronchial asthma in children is allergic in nature, since allergic reactions occurring as a result of the sensitization of the child’s body with respect to the allergen or their group play a huge role in its development. Various chemicals and products that enter the body can act as allergens, to which the child’s body has increased specific sensitivity.
With bronchial asthma, allergic reactions develop in the walls of the bronchi, which reveals the disease with characteristic symptoms.
Other acute and chronic diseases of the respiratory system become quite significant with the development of asthma in a child.
In the development of bronchial asthma in children, a special role is played by heredity, as well as a violation of nutrition and the digestive process.
How to determine asthma in a child?
The most basic characteristic signs and symptoms of asthma in a child include:
- frequent coughing attacks that occur during the day during a game, laughter or at night (it is worth paying attention to the fact that coughing may be the only symptom of bronchial asthma);
- whistling sounds when inhaling and exhaling;
- complaints of the child about pain and tightness in the chest;
- respiratory failure;
- reciprocating chest movements due to difficulty breathing;
- significant loss of energy during games;
- tense muscles of the neck and chest;
- feeling of malaise and weakness.
Parents should be aware that all children have different manifestations of asthma, which can vary at different times from one symptom to another in the same child.
Treatment of bronchial asthma in children
The treatment of bronchial asthma in children consists of the following main points:
- the exclusion of contact of the child with an allergen or a group of allergens that cause asthma attacks;
- anti-inflammatory therapy;
- treatment of acute and chronic respiratory diseases;
- actions aimed at restoring immunity and normalizing the intestinal microflora;
- sanatorium and preventive treatment of asthma;
- teaching children and their parents.
The most important step in treating asthma in children is to eliminate the allergen and desensitization therapy. In some cases, the elimination of the allergen itself leads to a complete recovery of the child from bronchial asthma or to alleviate the course of the disease. Anti-inflammatory treatment is prescribed when it is not possible to cure asthma in a child by eliminating the allergen. The type of anti-inflammatory treatment is affected by the severity of the disease. With mild to moderate severity, bronchial asthma is treated with non-hormonal drugs from the group of cromons. In severe asthma, doctors use corticosteroid drugs that suppress inflammatory processes in the bronchi. Treatment is carried out strictly in accordance with the recommendations of the attending physician – self-modified treatment leads to a deterioration in the condition of the child!
Against the background of bronchial asthma, a child may experience severe asthma attacks requiring emergency assistance. For this, parents should always have with them special inhalers with one of the drugs that quickly relieve bronchospasm. The choice of such an inhaler is also carried out by the recommendations of the attending physician.