Asthma is a chronic disease in which breathing becomes difficult due to a tightening of the bronchial tubes. Exercise-induced asthma and allergic asthma are the two most common types. Doctors say asthma usually first manifests in toddlers through wheezing and coughing fits, though these symptoms are not necessarily a surefire sign of asthma in a young child. Asthma sufferers tend to be genetically predisposed toward the disease — kids with asthma often have parents with asthma. However over the last decades asthma rates have increased in numbers that suggest environmental factors such as pollution, secondhand smoke, mould and dust can cause or aggravate asthma. These are also factors that tend to trigger asthma attacks in those who already have asthma. There is a whole flora of theories on other possible causes of asthma; one British study speculates that household chemicals like bleach and air-freshener may be to blame for the surge in asthma rates among kids; another study looks at the possibility some cases may be linked to early childhood intake of antibiotics. Whatever causes the onset of asthma, it is manageable with medication and control of triggers in the environment.
Dr. Spock
"Asthma"
"If you have a child with asthma, you’re no doubt well aware of the impact this disease can have on his life (as well as your own). But the effects of asthma stretch far beyond your own personal experience. The truth is, asthma is the leading cause of chronic illness in children under the age of 17 in the United States. In fact, an estimated 5 million children under the age of 18 years have asthma, and the disease affects more than 1 million under the age of 5." …read the full article
Children, Youth And Women’s Health
"Asthma In Childhood"
“Children with asthma can become seriously ill quickly. Asthma needs to be taken seriously. A child with a serious asthma attack may not sound wheezy. He may be pale, quiet and breathing quickly with shallow gasps.” …read the full article
Dr. Sears
“Asthma”
"The first step in learning about asthma is to understand what asthma is, how it affects the lungs, what the major symptoms are, and what the different types are. Asthma is basically the tendency for a person’s small airways, called bronchi, within the lungs to constrict or narrow in response to a variety of stimuli. This causes difficulty breathing, coughing, or wheezing. A child needs to display this tendency on numerous occasions before the diagnosis of asthma can be made. A child who wheezes during a cold and couple times a year shouldn’t be labeled ‘asthmatic.’" …read the full article
BabyCentre Australia
"Asthma"
"If the wheezing frequently recurs ask for your GP’s opinion. In a child less than a year old, the airways are so small that they can make a wheezing sound which is not true asthma. Wheezing can be quite common in early childhood, and unless the attacks persist past the age of three, most doctors say there’s no cause for alarm. " …read the full article
Raising Children Network
"Asthma: Symptoms"
"There is a wide variety of symptoms of asthma, their severity, and how often they are present. The most common features are a wheeze, a cough, difficulty in breathing (rapid and/or noisy breathing), tightness in the chest, and shortness of breath." …read the full article
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
London Times
“Household Chemicals in Direct Link to Asthma Rise”
Dr. Greene
“A Link Between Antibiotics and Asthma?”
Australia Institute Of Health And Welfare
“Asthma In Australia 2008″
