asthma trigger

Pediatric Asthma – How You Can Handle It

It is very difficult for a parent to cope with a child who is suffering from pediatric asthma. Not only is the disease very scary, it also puts great emotional pressure on the parents because children do not always know how to express themselves and/or ask for help when required. Hence, till the child becomes responsible, the parent(s) have to be on their toes, monitoring the well being of the child at all times, whether awake or asleep.

There a growing incidence of asthmatic children throughout the world – maybe, owing to the growing global pollution. The plus point in this scenario is that doctors, teachers and caretakers are now more aware about the disease then they ever wear before. They are also helpful and prepared to assist the parent to attend to the child till the child is self-sufficient.

Prevention of a Pediatric Asthma Attack

An asthma attack can be a nightmarish experience. Depending upon the circumstances it can leave you totally shaken. It is more traumatic when the victim of the attack is a child who does not know how to react or what is happening to him or her. This is why parents are almost paranoid about their babies and toddlers who have been diagnosed with asthma.

It is of course, advisable, to prevent any attack and spare the child the horrible experience. Prevention of pediatric asthma is possible only if the house is made totally asthma trigger proof. The triggers would include amongst others, pollen, animal dander (no pets in the house), mold (air clothes constantly and air rooms regularly), cold drafts (ensure that the child is always protected from cold), sudden emotional upheavals (do not berate or threaten the child), strong food smells, dust mites (use only dust-proof mattresses and pillows), heavy exercise (do not permit the child to exercise too much), cigarette smoke (do not allow people to smoke around the child).

There are many natural cures available for pediatric asthma, which the parents can experience from time to time and see if anything suits the child. They can also use alternative medicine such as homeopathy, hypnosis, ayurvedic medicines, herbs, etc. You will have to be very careful however, that the treatment you choose will not aggravate the pediatric asthma any further.

Having your child wear a medical ID bracelet or tag is a great idea because it could help in situations when your child is unable to talk.

Asthma Cough – One of the Most Common Symptoms

The asthma cough is one of the most commonplace symptoms of asthma. It also is a warning signal for the asthmatic person that an attack may be on its way. Hence, if you are asthmatic and you develop an asthma cough, it is good to take measures to prevent a full-blown attack immediately.

How to Prevent Asthma Cough and Attacks

You should take care that your home is asthma trigger proof. Cleanliness is one of the most important pre-requisites of the house of the asthma patient. If you find that an asthma cough often plagues you – then the house (or the environment you are finding yourself in) should be cleaned again properly. Ensure that all the allergens should be cleared from the house. Pay special attention to the kitchen where cockroaches can cause havoc.

You should also avoid any strong smells, whether it is deodorant, powder, shampoo or soap. Take care that the bedrooms are dust-proof. If you are not among those who can dust the house daily, invest in a dust proof mattress and pillow so that at least the bed would be a safe zone for you.

Be careful wherever you get the asthma cough – since this is the indication that there air is filled with some type of allergen. Either remove yourself from there, or try to identify what could be the reason for your irritation. Do not neglect it, as the asthma cough is the warning signal for a full-blown attack.

Asthma is Not as Bad as It Sounds

An asthmatic person can lead a close to normal life, as long as they take care that they do not run into any asthma triggers. Be overcautious when you travel, since sudden change in the temperature, dust, pollution, strong smells and so on can really be bothersome when you are on the move. Always carry adequate doses of medicines and be prepared for an attack.

The advice here is to become as allergy proof as possible. In places where you cannot prevent it, be prepared for it. It is a good idea to carry along with you a card or wear a tag with telephone numbers of a contact person (or doctor) so that in case of any emergency you can receive help fast.

The last word is that you should treat the asthma cough as a friend not an enemy, as it warns you about an attack.

How do Asthma Triggers Aggravate the Disease?

Asthma is a disease that is caused by the dysfunction of the lungs and the airway. In a normal person, when one inhales any irritant, the airway constricts to prevent it from going any further. After a brief moment, it relaxes and expels it. In this way it gets rid the irritant without much trouble.

In an asthmatic person the reaction would be very different. The airway constricts here also, as a direct reaction to the irritant. However, after that, instead of relaxing and expelling the irritant that troubles the airway, it will further constrict cutting the air and causing breathlessness. At this time, the immediate use of an inhaler or nebulizer can again relax the airway, allowing the asthma patient to breathe easy again.

As explained above, an attack of asthma has to be triggered by an irritant. This irritant can be anything – cold, exercise, sudden fright, sudden emotion, pollen, dust, animal dander, dust mites, food smell, powder, cigarette smoke, mold, cockroaches, and the like. When the patient encounters any such asthma trigger, the asthma flares up and provokes an attack.

Hence, it is always advisable to be very careful if you are an asthma patient and you feel that you are about to get into contact with any such asthma trigger. Prevention is always better than cure. While an attack can be pacified with the help of an inhaler or any other prescribed medicine, the best would be to avoid the attack altogether. This is possible only when you would be very attentive regarding your surroundings and try to keep away as much as possible from any asthma triggers present in your environment.

Prevention Measure within the Home

The patient should make his or her home totally dust free as this is one of the major asthma triggers known. There are dust proof mattresses and pillows as well as dust proof covers available which can be very beneficial. The home should be cleaned as much as possible every day so that dust is not accumulated in the house. An asthmatic person should not keep any pets – especially dogs, cats or birds since these may cause allergy with their hair, feathers, etc.

Asthmatic patients should not smoke or stay in the company of people smoking around them. As long as they take care to stay away from any asthma trigger, the asthmatic person can lead a close to normal life.

What an Asthma Allergy is and How it can be Treated

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic disease which is non-curable, and which affects the respiratory system of the body. With asthma, what happens is that the airways constrict and become inflamed, and are then lined with excessive amounts of mucous, which is in response usually to triggers, which are factors that irritate or even cause an asthma attack. Triggers can include anything from cold weather, weather changes, stress, emotional anxiety, pet dander, even chalk dust.

In other words, asthma is a recurring inflammatory conditioned disease which causes the airways to develop increased responsiveness to various stimuli, and is a disease which is primarily characterized by that of inflammation, increased mucous production, intermittent airway obstruction, and bronchial hyper-responsiveness.

What is an Asthma Allergy?

It is considered that an asthma allergy – as well as allergies and asthma separately – is the most prevalent of all chronic diseases, and that it affects millions of people every day. An asthma allergy basically consists of anything that causes or triggers that of an asthma attack, and it is incredibly important for all asthmatics to understand and determine what their own personal triggers are, or what their primary asthma allergy is. As well, the specific type of medical treatment which is recommended to a patient will depend on the severity of their condition, and the most common types of treatments for asthma are broadly classified as relievers, preventers, and emergency treatment.

How can an Asthma Allergy be Treated?

Again, the most effective and positive type of treatment for any type of asthma trigger or allergy is that of prevention. In other words, if you are an asthmatic, especially if your condition is severe, you must recognize and determine the factors that trigger attacks with your asthma, and then try to avoid these factors as much as possible, or desensitize yourself completely, if possible. If there is no way that you can do either of these recommendations, say you have a pet that is affecting your asthma but you don’t want to get rid of it, then the best idea is to consult your physician and ask them what you should do about the situation.

There are however also forms of relief medication available, and typically every asthmatic is required to take some form of medication on a frequent basis, even if they do not experience attacks all that often.