Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways, in which it is difficult to get air into the lungs and withdraw it from the lungs. During asthma attacks, the muscles of the bronchi contract, there is swelling of the lining of the airways, the influx of air is shortened, and characteristic wheezing sounds can be heard during breathing. Asthma is characterized by intense mucus formation. Most asthma patients experience periods of shortness of breath, alternating with asymptomatic periods. Seizures can last from several minutes to several days, they become dangerous if the influx of air into the body is significantly reduced.
Causes of bronchial asthma attacks in children:
- Inhalation of allergens (substances that cause allergies): particles of artificial fur from toys, dust mites, mold, pollen of plants.
- Respiratory infections.
- Physical exercise.
- Cold air, tobacco smoke, pollution of the environment.
- Stress.
- Food (food allergy).
- Medications, such as anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin.
Many asthmatics have a history of allergies - they themselves or their family members, for example hay fever (allergic rhinitis), as well as eczema. But there are asthmatics, in which none of the relatives has asthma or allergies.
Symptoms
- Hus fever and breathing
- It begins suddenly, usually sporadically, disappears by itself.
- May intensify at night or early in the morning, after physical exertion or under the influence of cold.
- Improves with the use of bronchodilators (drugs that expand the airways).
- Cough with phlegm (mucus) or without it.
- After exercise, breathing becomes even more difficult.
- When breathing, the skin is drawn between the ribs.
Symptoms that require emergency measures:
- Severe difficulty in breathing.
- Acute panic caused by difficulty breathing.
- Blue face and lips.
- Frequent pulse, sweat.
- Drowsiness and confusion during an attack of bronchial asthma.
Physical activities and outdoor games are necessary for all children, and asthmatic children are no exception, even if in 80% of cases it is difficult for them to take part in sports. But do not over-patronize a child suffering from asthma and deprive him of physical exertion, especially since the psycho-emotional and social benefits of sport are well known. After stress, everyone feels tired and may suffer from shortness of breath. An asthmatic who has never before practiced sports will get tired more than a healthy child. Therefore, it is necessary to accustom him to the sport gradually, so that he learns to distinguish the usual shortness of breath from attacks of bronchial asthma. Asthmatics can practice any kind of sport (except scuba diving), but some are especially suitable for them.
Athletics, football and basketball especially often cause spasms of the bronchi. In contrast, swimming in a well-ventilated indoor pool (with warm and humid air), gymnastics, golf, brisk walking and cycling without climbing a mountain is much more suitable for asthmatics. Tennis and ball games are mobile, but require alternation of effort, so they are also recommended along with martial arts (judo, karate, taekwondo), fencing, etc. It is not recommended to dive with scuba diving because there may be pressure drops, Under the water, asthma can not be removed in a timely manner. It is difficult to perform the decompression maneuvers necessary for safe ascent, if breathing is difficult. Mountain sports (mountaineering, alpine skiing, etc.) are a problem due to the need to breathe cold and dry air, but it can be partially eliminated with masks and helmets.
Distinguish between mild, moderate and severe asthma. In children and adolescents, there are usually two first forms in which seizures alternate with asymptomatic periods. With a more severe form of asthma, symptoms are almost constant. Asthma can also be classified by origin: distinguish between exogenous (acquired) asthma with allergic sensitization (80% of cases in children) and endogenous (hereditary) asthma, in which allergy causes are not identified. These symptoms can also be supplemented by others:
- Extension of the nostrils.
- Chest pain.
- Sense of chest tightness.
- Violation of the rhythm of breathing, delay in inspiration.
- Temporary cessation of breathing.
- Feeling of suffocation.
The diagnosis of "asthma" is based, first of all, on the basis of anamnesis of the child and the presence of the above symptoms. In addition, it is necessary to identify the characteristics of seizures: their shape, intervals between them, provoking factors, connection with seasonal changes, general development of the disease. A more detailed study of the child's medical record is also necessary to exclude other respiratory diseases, the symptoms of which resemble the symptoms of asthma. Functional diagnostics is undertaken to assess the degree of airway obstruction; for this purpose a lung capacity measurement (spirometry) is performed. However, for such a study, the patient's help is needed, so it is suitable only for children older than 6 years.
Treatment of asthma
Three whales on which the asthma treatment technique is based:
- Prevention. By it is meant evasion of all factors provoking seizures.
- Training. The training of a child-asthmatist and his parents is the cornerstone. If a child suffers from bronchial asthma, spirometry should be performed when examining it. This is a painless measurement of lung capacity and the rhythm of breathing. preventive therapy. It is important that parents understand what the disease is, know the triggers and symptoms, know how to use medicines, dose sports and exercise, etc.
- Drug therapy. Three types of medicines are known: they interfere with the production of substances that cause an allergic reaction that hinder the action of these substances, and, finally, relieve inflammation and obstruction of the bronchi (for example, cortisone derivatives and bronchodilators). Now we know how the bronchial asthma in children, the symptoms of this disease.