Asthma is a disease that affects millions of people around the world. It can start at any age, and many children show symptoms of asthma from birth. Asthma occurs when the airways become inflamed and air cannot travel through them properly. When the airways in the lungs become extremely inflamed, it can make it hard for any air to pass through and the sufferers may feel as if they cannot breathe. This is called an asthma attack and can be fatal.
There is no cure for asthma, but it can be treated. Many people find that there are triggers that can cause them to have an asthma attack. By avoiding these triggers, they can reduce the number of asthma attacks they have and live a normal life.
The cause of asthma is not yet known, but scientists believe it may result from an overly sensitive immune system. When something enters the airways that the body doesn’t like, it becomes inflamed to fight it. There are certain things or triggers that can make asthma worse or lead to asthma attacks. These things include:
Asthma often comes on slowly. Children may suffer from the disease from birth, but it can take months and even years before it is diagnosed. Some children only experience asthma when they are active. Some of the most common symptoms of asthma in children include:
Asthma can be hard to diagnose, and the diagnosis is usually based on symptoms. Many other childhood conditions can have similar symptoms, so sometimes doctors have to rule out other health problems before they can be sure it is childhood asthma. Some of these conditions also commonly occur with asthma, which can complicate things even more
If asthma is cared for properly, children can live healthy lives and avoid asthma attacks and other complications. There is no cure for asthma, but the proper treatment can help eliminate the symptoms. Some of the most common treatments for asthma include:
If asthma is treated properly, children have a good prognosis. Many children are even able to outgrow childhood asthma and do not suffer from it as adults. Staying on top of the condition can prevent asthma attacks and reduce symptoms.