Although asthma is a serious disease, there are many ways to control it in children and keep them healthy. Asthma causes swelling and inflammation in the airways that lead to the lungs and make it hard to breathe. Symptoms can include wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing.

Approximately one in 12 people has asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and it is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases. It runs in families so if an adult has asthma, children are more likely to have it too. It is the third-ranking cause of hospitalization for children and a leading cause of absenteeism. A total of 12.8 million school days are missed each year because of asthma. And, more than 4,000 Americans die every year from asthma-related complications.

Asthma Causes Unknown

The causes of asthma are unknown but something—air pollution, allergens, exercise, and stress—causes the airways of the lungs to narrow or become blocked. Asthma affects children in different ways. The same substances that trigger allergy symptoms can trigger an asthma attack, the CDC says. Allergens may be inhaled, like pollen, smoke or dust, or eaten, like shell fish. Children with asthma are particularly vulnerable to air pollution. Breathing in cold air or strenuous physical exercise may also trigger an asthma attack.
Asthma is diagnosed in children by looking at peak expiratory flow, which shows how much air your child can breathe out when trying his or her hardest. The pediatrician may also do a chest x-ray or recommend allergy tests.

Asthma Plan Important

All patients with asthma should have an asthma plan that includes avoidance measures and maintenance medication/ and inhalers and rescue inhalers. There are also non-pharmacologic ways to treat asthma such as avoiding the allergens that are bothersome.

The National Institute of Health has a downloadable Asthma Action Plan with helpful steps to consider at NHLBI.NIH.gov. The Plan includes a list of how to control things that make asthma worse and what the danger signs are.

If an attack happens, children should see their pediatrician who may prescribe antihistamines or a brand name medication for asthma such as Singulair. In addition to an antihistamine, they may prescribe an inhaler.

Choosing an Inhaler

Your family pharmacist can recommend over-the-counter antihistamines. And, he or she can help demonstrate how to use the inhaler.

There are two kinds of inhalers: a dry powder inhaler (DPI) or metered dose inhaler (MDI). DPI is a dry power in micro particles and MDI is like an aerosol. There are also inhalers for maintenance use every day, regardless of symptoms. A rescue inhaler is used to immediately alleviate symptoms. If a child has trouble breathing, use a rescue inhaler. Rescue inhalers contain prescription medications like albuterol (brand names include Ventolin, Proventil, Proventil-HFA, AccuNeb, Vospire, and ProAir).

Your pharmacist can help ensure children are using inhalers appropriately so they don’t have to use a rescue inhaler all the time. If you notice your child using a rescue inhaler frequently, talk to your pediatrician or pharmacist about the dose or technique.

Children’s Books Help Make Sense of Asthma

In addition to having a management plan and using the right inhaler, parents can help children make sense of asthma through story books. Before giving your child a book, it is always a good idea to read it yourself. If you have any questions about accuracy, ask your child’s pediatrician, nurse or pharmacist for help.

Some of the children’s books about asthma that help kids understand and manage the disease include “The ABCs of Asthma: An Asthma Alphabet Book for Kids of All Ages” by Kim Gosselin; “I Have Asthma (Let’s Talk About It Books)” by Jennifer Moore-Mallinos; and “Taking Asthma to School” by Barbara Mitchell. Story books like “Abby’s Asthma and the Big Race,” by Theresa Golding, and “The Lion Who Had Asthma” by Jonathan London, are fun and educational.

Eric Crumbaugh, Pharm.D., is Director of Clinical Programs for the Arkansas Pharmacists Association. Eric and his wife Jennifer, also a pharmacist, have a 22—month-old daughter, Olivia Grace. They live in Benton.