History
Many people that have Asthma,
may have an individual and/or
family history of
allergies.
To diagnose asthma, a doctor relies
solely on taking a medical history
and combines
it with a physical examination.
Allergies.
Allergy testing may be may be helpful in
identifying allergens, but in
sensitive
individuals, asthma symptoms can be triggered by
inhaled
allergens (allergy triggers), such as
pet hair, dust mites, moulds or pollens.
Patients with delayed pattern food allergy have
the most persistent
inflammatory form of
chronic asthma. Those who have a nasal allergy
often have asthma that may be triggered by it.
Developing Asthma.
Half of the people who
have asthma develop it before they are 10
years
old, and most develop it before 30. There are
people who develop
allergic asthma in their
70s and there are young children whose asthma
is not allergic. Children with asthma often
complain of an itchy upper chest
or develop a
dry cough, which may be the only sign of asthma.
Asthma Attacks.
During an attack, the
smooth muscles of the lungs go into spasm, with
the
surrounding tissue enflamed and secreting
mucus into the airways. The causes
of an attack
are, however, well understood by both doctors and
patients.
Child care providers need to
recognise when a child is suffering an attack in
order to prevent severe and prolonged effects.
Nonetheless, an acute attack
usually occurs
during a cold or cough caused by a viral
infection. Pay attention to worsening asthma as it
may prevent a serious attack.
Smoking and
Asthma.
Cigarette smoke is a powerful
trigger of symptoms. Children born prematurely
or those exposed to tobacco smoke are more likely
to develop the disease.
Prenatal and post
postnatal exposure to second-hand smoke is
indicated in the
development of asthma.
Non-smoking messages should be advertised in
schools
to reduce the likelihood of children
smoking and thus be prone to asthma.
Stress
and Asthma.
Stress could aggravate the
disease in children according to a London
University's
research. It is well known that
fighting stress helps fight asthma. People think
that there is a connection between genetic makeup
and the disease. There isn't - it
only makes
one more susceptible. If asthma is triggered by
emotional stress, then
a stress reduction
programme could be considered. Sport during the
summer causes less stress than during the winter.
Exercise induced asthma occurs most often during
intense activity in cold dry air.
Can it be
Controlled?
Yes, it can! With good control
almost all people can lead normal, active lives.
Control medication on a regular basis helps
prevent symptoms from occurring. When asthma is
not under control, the airways become restricted
and inflamed, with increased mucus production that
further obstructs the airways. To keep it under
control, it is
important to be well educated
about your asthma and how to manage it.
Known
Allergens.
Allergies are triggers for
asthma. If you are allergic to pets, certain
foods, dust mites etc, remove them from your
environment wherever possible. Be asthma aware.
Every
asthmatic responds differently to
triggers. As a parent, try not to be overly
protective
of an asthmatic child.
The key to
living with the disease is to be very aware. If
you need to carry medication
make sure you
always have it with you, and NEVER run our of it.
Make sure you always have a backup, in the car, at
home or in the office. Encourage children to
emulate what you preach.
Finally, approximately
one quarter of asthmatic children have their
symptoms disappear as they grow older - yes it is
possible to grow out of the disease!
Tony Bryan
Author