In clinical practice, it is common to see children suffering from asthma. First, I will answer parents’ questions about what to pay attention to and how to prevent asthma in children, in order to reduce the further progression of the disease.
What is asthma?
Asthma is a manifestation of bronchial spasms caused by highly reactive bronchial airways, resulting in difficulty breathing.
What are the causes of pediatric asthma? What are the triggering factors?
- Climatic factors: cold weather causing chill.
- Poor diet: high-protein foods, sweets, cold drinks, etc.
- Contact with foreign substances: such as plush toys, dust, paint fumes, etc.
- Emotional stress or fatigue: such as excessive exercise, large emotional fluctuations.
- Genetic factors: The chance of a child inheriting asthma is higher if the mother has asthma.
- Physical constitution: Children who are weak and prone to illness, and who suffer from repeated colds and coughs over time, may eventually develop asthma.
What are the symptoms and pathological manifestations of pediatric asthma?
Symptoms:
- Sneezing, coughing, and other early signs before an attack, or attacks occurring at night
- Wheezing in the throat during an attack
- Difficulty breathing
- In severe cases, the child cannot lie flat, breathes with an open mouth and raised shoulders
- Restlessness
Pathological manifestations:
- Persistent phlegm and fluids, lung qi reversing upwards + triggering factors = an attack
- Affected areas: lungs, spleen, kidneys
Is asthma hereditary?
Yes, although genetic factors are the most important cause of asthma, recent data shows that the prevalence of asthma in developing countries is on the rise.
How many types of pediatric asthma are there?
It is roughly divided into two major categories:
- Attack phase
- Remission phase
What harm can asthma cause to children?
- If the disease is not treated promptly at the beginning, it may persist into adulthood and become a chronic illness with repeated attacks.
- If not treated properly, repeated attacks can lead to chest deformities, reduced lung function, and affect academic progress.
- In severe cases, children may need hormone treatment to control the condition, resulting in developmental delay compared to normal peers.
- In extreme cases, severe attacks may lead to breathing difficulties and even suffocation.
Can asthma be cured? What is the recurrence rate?
Research shows that children under the age of 3 who have their first attack are in the early stages. If treated properly, by the age of 12 during the development phase, asthma may be cured. However, the airway’s heightened reactivity will still remain in the body, being 100 to 1000 times higher than normal. If exposed to triggering factors, asthma may still recur.
How to prevent asthma from recurring?
First, parents should self-diagnose whether their child has asthma. If they notice signs like long-term recurrent coughing, wheezing, pale complexion, lack of activity, or coughing and wheezing with exertion, the child is likely to have asthma. To prevent recurrence, parents should avoid triggering factors like cold drinks, plush toys, dust, etc. They must also pay attention to keeping the child warm, avoid sweets, encourage a balanced diet, and promote regular exercise. This can be very helpful for children with asthma.
What are the treatment methods for pediatric asthma?
In traditional Chinese medicine, treatment is based on whether the child is in the attack or remission phase, with a focus on dialectical treatment, which has shown good results. Traditional Chinese medicine aims to treat the root cause. The “Huangdi Neijing” (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon) states, “When the body’s righteous qi is maintained within, the evil cannot invade.” By boosting the body’s righteous qi, external pathogens find it difficult to invade.
