Thursday, March 5, 2009

Know the Signs and Symptoms of Asthma in Your Child

By Twyla Ness

Childhood asthma is a disease that can lead to death if left untreated. However, it can be difficult to recognize asthma symptoms in children. It's also somewhat harder to deal with. The reason is that kids just aren't paying attention to the warning signs.

Effective treatment of pediatric asthma requires that you be alert for the signs and symptoms of the condition. The most typical signs of an asthma attack are coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. There's isn't much difference in symptoms between adults and children.

However, they can sometimes be more difficult to detect when it comes to the younger generation. For example, if your child is running around playing, they could easily become overheated and short of breath. But this is also a signal that an asthma attack is happening. Your child might be having more trouble breathing than you realize.

To date, no one has found the cure for asthma. However, there are many ways to effectively manage the condition. Typically, a child with asthma will be prescribed an inhaler. This is the fastest way of getting medicine to the lungs when it's required immediately. Frequently, pediatric asthma is treated with something known as combination therapy. This means using an inhaler that contains two or more medications rather than just one.

Some parents like to supplement pharmaceuticals with a more natural approach to managing this disabling condition. But before starting any new treatments, it's important that you consult with your doctor. There's always the potential for interaction between natural asthma remedies and prescription drugs. They might seem harmless because they're natural. The truth is, though, that they sometimes have ingredients that don't react well with other medications.

There are also natural ways to help deal with asthma that are based on lifestyle management instead of supplementation. These are considered to be a safe and effective supplement to medication. Many people create an asthma management plan in order to gain control of the situation. Your whole family should be alert to the triggers of a potential attack. You need to recognize the warning signs that usually precede it. And of course, you both need to know exactly how to treat an attack once you recognize the signs.

It's possible for your child to have an enjoyable life even with pediatric asthma. He or she can experience the normal joys of being a child when the condition is well managed. The important thing is that you gain as much knowledge about the disease as you possibly can.

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