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Treating asthma in children ages 5 to 11 requires tailored approaches. Find out tips about symptoms, medications and an asthma action plan. Asthma in children is one of the most common causes of truancy from school. It can also interfere with sleep, play and other activities. Although there is no cure for asthma, you and your child can reduce symptoms by following an asthma action plan. This is a written plan, developed with the cooperation of the child''s doctor, to track symptoms and adjust treatment.
If you think your child might have asthma, see a doctor. Early diagnosis is important. Treating asthma in children improves day-to-day breathing, reduces asthma flare-ups and helps reduce other problems caused by asthma. With proper treatment, even severe asthma can be controlled.
Asthma symptoms in children 5 to 11 years old
Common signs and symptoms of asthma in children ages 5 to 11 years include
Coughing, especially at night
Whiz
Breathing difficulty
Chest pain, tightness, or discomfort
Avoid sports and physical activity or lose interest in doing them
Some children have few symptoms from day to day, but severe asthma attacks occur every now and then. Other children have mild symptoms, or symptoms that get worse at certain times. You may notice that your child''s asthma symptoms worsen at night, during activities, when the child has a cold, or around triggers such as cigarette smoke or seasonal fever.
Asthma emergencies
Severe asthma attacks can be life-threatening and may require a trip to the emergency room. Signs and symptoms of asthma emergencies in children 5 to 11 years of age include:
Extreme difficulty breathing
Persistent coughing or wheezing
No improvement even after using a quick-relief spray, such as albuterol
Lean forward while sitting to be able to breathe
Inability to speak without panting
The maximum inflation power meter readings have reached the red zone
Tests used to diagnose and monitor asthma
For children 5 years and older, doctors can diagnose and monitor asthma using the same tests as adults. These tests measure how much air a child can exhale quickly, which is an indication of how well the lungs are working.
Your child''s doctor may be able to check for inflammation in your child''s airways using a test that measures levels of nitric oxide in the breath. In general, a high level of nitric oxide means that a child''s lungs are not working as well as they should and that his asthma is out of control.
Use the maximum air blowing capacity gauge
The doctor may give your child a handheld device (maximal inflation capacity meter) to measure how well the lungs are working. This device measures how much air your child can exhale quickly. A low reading indicates worsening asthma. You and your child may notice lower max readings before symptoms appear. This will help identify the appropriate time to adjust medication to prevent flare-ups of asthma symptoms.
Asthma treatment
If a child has severe asthma symptoms, their family doctor or pediatrician may refer them to an asthma specialist.
The doctor will want the child to get the right amount of appropriate medication that he needs to control his condition. This will help prevent side effects.
Depending on the information you provide about how well your child''s current medications are controlling asthma signs and symptoms, your child''s doctor may increase treatment to a higher dose or add another type of medication. If your child''s asthma is under control, the doctor may reduce treatment by reducing the medications the child takes. This approach is known as the stepwise approach to asthma.
There are certain medications that are not specifically approved for use in treating children by the Food and Drug Administration, but the doctor may prescribe them to the child if he deems that the most appropriate treatment for his condition.
Long-term control medications
They are known as long-acting preventive medications and are medications taken daily, generally, on a long-term basis to control persistent asthma. These medications may be used on a seasonal basis if a child''s asthma symptoms worsen during certain times of the year.
Types of long-term asthma control medications include
Inhaled corticosteroids. It is the most common of the long-term control medications for asthma. These NSAIDs include fluticasone (Flovent HFA), budesonide (Pulmicort Flexhaler), beclomethasone (Quevar), ciclesonide (Alvesco) and mometasone (Asmanex).
leukotriene levels. These medications include montelukast (Singulair), zafirlukast (Acolate), and zileuton (Zyflu). They are a secondary addition to treatment with inhaled corticosteroids. In rare cases, doctors have linked montelukast and zileuton to psychological reactions such as agitation, aggression, hallucinations, depression, and suicidal ideation. Therefore, medical advice should be sought immediately if the child has any unusual psychological response.
Combination sprays. These medications contain inhaled corticosteroids as well as a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA). These include combinations of fluticasone and salmeterol (Advair), budesonide-formoterol (Symbicort), and mometasone and formoterol (Dulera). In some cases, long-acting beta-agonists are associated with severe asthma attacks. So, you should not give
This type of medicine is for children only when combined with corticosteroids in a combination spray. This reduces the risk of a severe asthma attack.
theophylline It is a medication taken daily to open the airways (bronchodilators). Theophylline (Theocron) is not used now as often as it was in years past.
Rapid relief "rescue drugs"
These medications, called short-acting bronchodilators, provide immediate relief from asthma symptoms and last four to six hours. Albuterol is the most commonly used short-acting bronchodilator for asthma. Other bronchodilators include pirbuterol and levalbuterol.
Despite the rapid action of these drugs, they cannot prevent the child from recurring symptoms. If a child has frequent or severe symptoms, he or she will need to take long-term control medications, such as inhaled corticosteroids.
A child''s asthma is not under control if they need to use a quick-relief inhaler more often. Relying on quick-relief inhalers to control symptoms puts your child at risk of a severe asthma attack and is a sign that the child should be taken to the doctor for treatment changes.
Monitor the use of quick-relief medications and share the information you have with your child''s doctor at each visit.
Immunotherapy for allergy-triggered asthma
Desensitization shots (immunotherapy) may help your child if he or she has allergic asthma that is difficult to control simply by avoiding asthma triggers. It begins with the child undergoing skin tests to identify any allergens that could trigger asthma symptoms.
Once a child''s asthma triggers are identified, he or she will receive a series of injections containing small doses of the allergen. A child will likely need a number of injections, once a week for a few months, then once a month for three to five years. The child''s allergic reactions and asthma symptoms should gradually fade away.
Medication delivery devices
Most asthma medications are given using a device that allows the child to inhale the medication directly into the lungs. It is possible for the child to receive the medicine through one of these devices:
Metered dose inhalers. Metered dose inhalers are small, portable devices that are a common method of delivering asthma medications. To make sure your child gets the correct dose, they may also need to attach a hollow tube (spacer) to the nebulizer.
Dry powder inhalers. A child may need a dry powder inhaler to receive certain asthma medications. This device requires a deep, rapid inhalation to get the full dose of medication.
spray device. The nebulizer turns medications into a fine mist that the child inhales through a face mask. This device can deliver large doses of medication into the lung compared to inhalers. Young children often need to use a nebulizer because it is difficult or impossible for them to use other inhalers.
Controlling Asthma: Steps for Children Ages 5 to 11
Dealing with a child''s asthma can seem like a big responsibility, and following these steps will make it easier.
Learn about asthma
Knowing exactly what steps to take daily, weekly, monthly and yearly is an important part of managing a child''s asthma. It is also important that you understand the purpose of each part related to monitoring symptoms and adjusting treatment. Parents, the child and the child''s caregiver need to:
Learn about the different types of asthma medications and how they work
Know how to recognize and record the signs and symptoms of exacerbated asthma
Know what to do when a child''s asthma worsens
Track symptoms using a written plan
A written asthma action plan is an important tool to help you see how well treatment is working, based on your child''s symptoms. With the help of your child''s doctor, a written asthma action plan that outlines steps needed to control your child''s asthma. You and the child''s caregivers, including the babysitter, teachers and coaches, should have a copy of this plan.
An asthma action plan can help the child and his or her parents
Keep track of the number of flare-ups of asthma (exacerbation of the disease) in a child?
Judging the effectiveness of medications in controlling symptoms
Note any side effects of the medication
Check how well the baby''s lungs are working with the maximum inflation capacity meter
Measuring the extent to which the child''s symptoms affect the performance of daily activities such as playing, sleeping and sports
Adjusting medications when symptoms worsen
Know when to see a doctor or seek emergency care
Many asthma plans use a stop signal system that is divided into three green, yellow and red zones that correspond to worsening symptoms. This system can help parents quickly determine the severity of asthma and identify signs of an asthma attack. Other plans use a symptom questionnaire called the Asthma Control Test to measure the severity of asthma over the past month.
Make changes and see a doctor when necessary
Effective asthma treatment requires continually tracking how well medications are working, and knowing what to do when medications no longer work. You and your child (when he''s old enough) need:
Work with your doctor to determine which types and doses of medications are most effective
Adjusting medications according to the asthma management plan prepared by the parents with the help of the child''s doctor
Monitor and record side effects such as agitation, tremor, or sleep disturbances for presentation to the doctor
Controlling asthma triggers
Taking steps to help your child avoid asthma triggers is an essential part of an asthma control plan. Asthma triggers vary from child to child. Work with the doctor to identify triggers and steps you can take to help your child avoid them. Common triggers of asthma include:
Colds and other respiratory infections
Allergens such as dust mites or pollen
Pet dander
Playing sports
cold weather
Cigarette smoke and other irritants in the air
Severe heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux disease)
The essential step to controlling asthma: sticking to the plan
Following and updating an asthma action plan are key to keeping a child''s asthma under control. Carefully monitor your child''s asthma symptoms, and make changes to medications as soon as necessary. With quick action, the child is less likely to have a severe attack, and will not need to take as many medications to control symptoms.
With careful management of asthma, the child is able
