Asthma and Children

509289_working_to_breathe.jpgAsthma is one of the most chronic and serious diseases in children and adolescents, affecting nearly nine million children under the age of 18. The most common type of asthma among children is allergic asthma. In this form, otherwise harmless allergens, such as dust mites, cat and dog dander, and other allergens trigger acute asthma attack. Asthma symptoms are often worse in the morning and late at night.

Asthma disproportionately affects children and young adults with a prevalence being the highest among children ages 12-17.

Diet is one major factor that is fundamental in treating patients having various kinds of immune dysfunction. This includes what supplements or medications your child is taking for other reasons. Other products such as sunscreen, topcial skin treatments, soaps, lotions, shampoos, etc. Everything that is going in or on the body must be considered in thoroughly addressing this aspect of your child's asthma. This is especially true for children with asthma. 

Emotions is a another factor that is often overlooked and is a major trigger for an asthma attack. Looking inside the various aspects of the emotional environment of your child could be one critical factor in solving the asthma puzzle for your child. If all other conditions are met, but there remain emotional needs that are not being met, this could be the difference between success and failure in treatment.

Other condition surrounding your child's environment such as household cleaning products, outgassing of certain material in your household such as carpet, paint, and even your textile choices. This pertains also to those same environmental factors in your child's school.

What activities your child is participating in after school, such as swimming, pesticides on fields the child is playing on, etc. may effect your child's health profoundly. Your child may be continuously exposed to toxins in his or her environment that his or her immune system is overreacting to--understandably.

These are some of the considerations involved in childhood (and adult) asthma that one must consider in putting together all of the reasons behind the chronic condition that once addressed may be resolved.