Asthma Attack in Children - Definition, Symptoms, Action Plan & Medications

Asthma is a debilitating respiratory disease that has plagued individuals from all walks of life. Kids and adults alike are victims of this health condition. Take better care of your health. Learn more information about asthma, its symptoms, causes, and accompanying action plans and medications.

Definition

Asthma is defined by Mayo Clinic as "a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and produce extra mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath."

Symptoms

As readers will read about in Whathealth.com, symptoms associated with asthma are as follows:

• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• Chest tightness

Patients should take note that asthma symptoms range from mild to moderate allergy symptoms. Asthmatic patients with mild allergies experience chest and breathing congestion, skin rashes and watery, itchy eyes. When these allergic reactions become severe, patients experience breathing difficulties and itchiness simultaneously.

Causes

These factors have been commonly defined as culprits behind asthmatic triggers, according to Nhlbi.nih.gov:

• Allergens(i.e., dust, animal fur, cockroaches, mold, and trees, grasses, and flowers pollens)
• Irritants

These environmental toxins include, but are not limited to, the following entities: cigarette smoke, air pollution, chemicals or dust in the workplace, compounds in home décor products and interior sprays of various types.

• Medicines

These medications include aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and beta-blocker drugs.

• Food and beverage sulfites
• Upper respiratory disorders, such as severe colds
• Excessive physical activity (e.g., exercise)

Action Plan

Your asthma specialist should be available 24/7 at your nearest health facility during medical emergencies. As WebMD shared, you need not hesitate to visit your doctor once you feel your asthma meds are not working as they should. Consult your physician if you've been increasing your medication's doses without prescription as well.

Other steps patients can take before asthmatic symptoms strike are the following, as indicated on a Mayo Clinic online content:

• Recognize triggers before they become worse
• Prevention
• Long-term symptom control
• Usage of a quick-relief inhaler, such as an albuterol, for asthma flare-ups

Medications

Mayo Clinic indicated that these meds are good for the usual asthmatic attacks:

Corticosteroid Inhalers

• Fluticasone (Flovent Diskus)
• Budesonide (Pulmicort)
• Mometasone (Asmanex Twisthaler)
• Beclomethasone (Qvar)
• Ciclesonide (Alvesco)

Leukotriene modifiers

• Montelukast (Singulair)
• Zafirlukast (Accolate)
• Zileuton (Zyflo)

Combined inhalers

Corticosteroids and long-acting beta agonists

• Fluticasone and salmeterol (Advair Diskus)
• Budesonide and formoterol (Symbicort)
• Mometasone and formoterol (Dulera)

You or any of your children can beat the odds. Be mindful in caring for your health at all times. Don't let asthma stop you and your kids from doing and living more everyday.