Both children and adult patients use the same kinds of asthma medicines. The amount and kind of drug your child will require is dependent on the severity of the asthma. For mild intermittent cases, your healthcare professional can prescribe only a bronchodilator — a medication that helps breathing by relaxing the tight ring of muscle around the airways — for quick relief as soon as symptoms appear. More frequent or persistent cases will require the intake of daily medication in order to calm inflammation within the airways and to prevent further attacks.
Very important and easily available treatment for children suffering from recurring asthma is inhaled corticosteroid medications. Healthcare providers have nowadays enough experience with inhaled corticosteroids in young children to say confidently that their side effects are rather mild and their benefits are enormous. According to the latest research inhaled corticosteroids prevent flares of asthma more effectively than cromolyn and leukotriene receptor blockers, even though these two kinds of medications are also helpful for some children. Low-dose inhaled corticosteroids may be prescribed to a child suffering from asthma who has more than three days of symptoms in a year, especially if the asthma usually interferes with sleep or worsens attendance at school when it takes place. Children experiencing frequent or severe asthma may require a higher dose of inhaled corticosteroid.
There are no longer worries concerning possible long-term side effects of corticosteroids in children. Long-term observation has proven that these medicines do not restrict the growth of children, lead to cataracts or other eye problems or interfere with the function of the adrenal glands.
For children experiencing long-term symptoms, long-acting beta-agonist medications (long-acting bronchodilators) are proposed by the groups of specialists if inhaled corticosteroids are not successful alone. These medications include: the inhalers salmeterol (Serevent Diskus), formoterol (Foradil) or salmeterol packaged with the corticosteroid fluticasone (the combination inhaler Advair). Nevertheless, in November 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration made out a public warning about this group of medications. These medications can decrease the frequency of asthma flare-ups. When an outbreak does take place, however, an individual who has progressively taken a long-acting beta-agonist inhaler may experience more serious symptoms, rising the possibility of deadly asthma. If preliminary worries about these medicines are acknowledge, healthcare professional will use these medications less often in the future.
Theophylline is a medication that can be used in order to minimize long-lasting symptoms. When Theophylline is used in children, especially in the course of an illness with fever, blood levels should be cautiously controlled in order to ensure that the bloodstream concentration of the medication remains at secure levels.
Corticosteroids are not the exclusive asthma medications that can be helpful in reduceing inflammation. Leukotriene inhibitor medicines also decrease inflammation. Montelukast (Singulair) is a leukotriene blocker that has been approved or the treatment of asthma in children from the age of two. Zafirlukast (Accolate) can be used in children over the age of five, and zileuton (Zyflo) is a next option for children aged twelve or more.
All treatments and their effects need to be controlled constantly and discussed with your healthcare professional. In the majority of cases, a particular treatment is quit if benefits appear not to be evident. Your physician may recommend an alternative treatment.
Similar guidelines are suggested both for infants and very young kids. The decision about medicines for young children can be quite complicated. If your child suffers from asthma, you should watchfully review the advantages and possible side effects of each drug with your healthcare provider and keep on monitoring your child’s progress.
Nevertheless, all medications must be taken properly. Otherwise they will not be effective. When you do not see the effects of the medications you are taking, the first thing to check is whether the medicines are actually being taken. For instance, the research on groups of preschool and urban children suffering from asthma discovered that the children did not use their medications on a regular basis.
The substantial majority of inhaled medications can be taken by either a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) or a nebulizer (mist machine). Medicines that are usually given to adult patients by an MDI can be c to complicated to administer to babies and very young children. Due to the use of spacers with MDIs, inhalers are much easier for parents to use with their young children- the child is able to take breaths that are not timed perfectly with the triggering of the canister. A lot of infants can also use an MDI if the inhaler is attached to a spacer and face mask. According to recent review of research comparing the use of nebulizers to the use of MDIs with spacers, MDIs were more successful in alleviating symptoms. They were also discovered to be cheaper, easier to use and less probable to require supervision from physicians or nurses, in comparison to nebulizers.
Your pediatrician will decide on the perfect medication(s), doses and delivery systems for your child. If your child experiences an asthma attack, you can solve the problem by taking the following steps:
* Act calm, be self-confident and speak to the child in a reassuring tone.
* Give the medicines recommended by your doctor for the beginning of an attack.
* Give your child liquids in order to prevent dehydration.
* Try to find out what activated the episode and get rid of it (or the child) from the area, if possible.
* Give your child a peak flow meter test and follow his or her home management plan.
* Decide that the attack is under control or contact the healthcare provider.
When children become older, normally they are able to control asthma themselves. Be sure that your child understands the plan sketched by the healthcare professional for the management of the symptoms of asthma and has quick access to a bronchodilator. Furthermore, inform teachers, principals, school nurses, coaches and babysitters about what factors can activate an attack and what to do i. it happens
Moreover, you should also provide written information concerning asthma symptoms, a copy of the medical instruction for dealing with your child’s asthma, the phone number on which you can be contacted during the school day and the doctor’s phone number if you’re not available. Physical education teachers and coaches also should be notified that children suffering from asthma can experience symptoms in response to physical activity and may have to use their bronchodilators in school in order to prevent attacks.
