Asthma in the child

Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in children in Germany and usually begins around the age of four—an age when the little patients still need the whole family to motivate them. A balance should be found here between dealing with the disease consistently and as a matter of course.

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by paroxysmal coughing and shortness of breath. The reason for this is an inflammation of the bronchial mucosa – caused by viral respiratory tract infections or allergic reactions to certain substances. During an attack, the bronchial tubes become spasmodic, and the inflamed bronchial mucosa produces more mucus. This, in turn, clogs the bronchi.

 

Recognizing asthma in children

It can be challenging to tell if a child has asthma. Very young children still find it difficult to explain exactly what they are suffering from. The following symptoms can give an indication:

• Frequent colds that only slowly subside
• the child is limp
• persistent cough at night without a cold present
• Cough when exercising, laughing, air pollution (e.g. cigarette smoke, car exhaust fumes), cold weather or fog
• whistling or buzzing noises when you breathe.

Necessary: If you suspect allergies, you should always consult a doctor with your child. If left untreated, they can progress to a chronic stage. It is not uncommon for a so-called floor change to take place. This is the transition from one form of allergy to the next. A typical case is the change from hay fever (nose) to asthma (bronchial tubes).

Asthma: how do I motivate my child?

Caring for a child with an allergy is a significant burden for the whole family. It demands excellent consistency from the caregivers – sometimes even against the child’s resistance. This does not always show why it has to take its medication, inhale it, and carry out regular measurements.

Remember: Every child wants to be as “normal” as possible and be treated “like the others”. In the long term, the illness can be perceived as exclusion. Tips:

• Please do not place the sick child at the centre of family life too much. Otherwise, he will feel even more affected. This weakens his stamina and resilience. What is known as a gain from the illness can also occur: the child learns that it gets a lot of attention in the event of a seizure and uses this consciously.
• Explain to your child in detail all treatment measures and consequences. After that, you should remain calm and consistent in all therapeutic actions and avoid evasive or delaying tactics. This helps the child to accept that the measure is indisputable and a matter of course.
• Do not scold if your child has deliberately not avoided the trigger(s) of his allergy and has an attack. It has been punished enough, and I will learn from this incident. Strengthen their self-confidence so they learn to deal with the disease on their own responsibility. This includes, for example, the child independently carrying out as many movements as possible during therapy. Remember an occasional (!) compliment.

 

Inhale: Helpful but unpopular

Inhalation is not one of the most popular therapeutic measures. Especially when the complaints are minor, the motivation to work is often low. Children may be afraid of the device if they are still tiny. Then, they should include it in a game or give the device a funny name. It can be helpful to show the inhalation time with a funny animal alarm clock (that moos or cackles). Older children can be read to while they inhale or play a quiet game.

If a child cannot be persuaded to inhale regularly, switching to a metered-dose aerosol at the appropriate age may be possible. Ask your doctor about this.

Checking the success: the peak flow measurement

A simple method of checking the success of asthma therapy is the so-called peak flow measurement. It measures the volume of air exhaled (in litres per minute). The higher the exhaled volume, the better. Because that means that the bronchi are wide.

The same applies here:  try to find a playful way of handling the device and let the child hold the device as independently as possible. Don’t just use it to monitor medication intake; integrate it into positive experiences. If, for example, the values ​​in sports improve more and more, it gives the child an enormous sense of achievement.

Helpful adjunctive therapies in asthma

In addition to drug therapy, several alternative treatment methods in asthma treatment support the treatment. In contrast to drug therapy, they enable children, in particular, to deal with the disease much more actively.

• Change of climate: It is no problem to spend the family vacation in a climate zone that is good for the child, such as the sea air, high mountains, or desert climate. It not only benefits from being free of allergens but also from a stimulating environment.
• Respiratory therapy is primarily used to train the respiratory muscles in allergic asthma. Children (from preschool age) also learn to help themselves physically during an asthma attack by adopting a posture that makes breathing easier or using the so-called pursed lip when exhaling. Proper breathing techniques can also help reduce anxiety during the attack.
• Relaxation methods: The psyche plays a significant role in small asthmatics because psychological stress can trigger asthma attacks or negatively influence the course of the disease. Relaxation techniques such as autogenic training or progressive muscle relaxation can help here.
• Education:  There are also special educational programs for preschool children with asthma. They are offered by allergy and asthma clinics and allergy outpatient clinics and impart extensive knowledge on dealing with the disease independently.

 

asthma and exercise

Children with asthma are often exempted from physical education classes, although this is unnecessary. On the contrary, The treatment also includes improving your condition. Regular training improves lung function and thus also lowers the stimulus threshold for the occurrence of an asthma attack.

The prerequisite for participation, however, is that the doctor treating you consents and the child is well-adjusted to their medication. They should also always have their emergency medication with them. It makes sense for the parents to converse with the supervising teacher about what to do in an emergency.

Farewell to the animal friend?

The same applies here for all triggers: Only consistently avoiding contact can help. As difficult as it may be, If an animal hair allergy has been identified as the cause of asthma, the animal in question should not be kept in the household. If the child does not want to be separated from the animal, there is still the option of keeping it exclusively outside, which is possible with dogs and cats, for example. In this way, they can reduce contact to a minimum.

Prevent asthma attacks

In addition to environmental pollution, physical exertion and viral infections, allergens are often the triggers for asthma in children. The primary triggers are pollen, animal hair, food, house dust mites, mould spores, food additives, and chemicals. The only preventative measure is not to come into contact with the triggers:

• Try to avoid constant infections in your child. This is only sometimes compatible with his desire for social contacts. Annual influenza vaccination is advisable for all asthmatics.
• Refrain from smoking. It is a common trigger for asthma attacks.
• If you have a house dust allergy, make the apartment dust mite-proof: 1) smooth floors, for example, made of wood or stone, are better than carpets; 2) ensure that there are as few dust collectors as possible in the apartment and especially in the children’s room, 3) have stuffed animals be cleaned regularly (put in a plastic bag in the freezer for 24 hours, then wash out briefly), 4) There are unique covers for the bedding; Otherwise, pillows and blankets have to be washed every four to six weeks at 60 degrees for at least an hour.
• Children who react to air pollution or have a pollen allergy should spend as little time outside as possible when there is a high pollen count or smog. They sleep better at night with the windows closed.