Hard to Breathe: What To Do When Your Kid Has Asthma
A chronic lung disease often seen in kids – asthma is something that makes parents anxious without the proper management and treatment.
The unfortunate part about most lung problems is that they all look the same. They usually have coughing, wheezing, sneezing, and sometimes, choking. But what makes asthma different is that it’s a chronic issue. Kids usually get asthma from their parents’ genes and will show that they have it by having more coughing fits and respiratory issues than usual.
Here’s how parents can help their kids manage their asthma.
1. Always have two inhalers on hand.
One for use and the other one as an extra – with the unpredictable weather, we never know what can trigger our kid’s asthma.
When a person is asthmatic, the one thing they always have in their pocket is their inhaler – which contains corticosteroids – to help them stop their airways from swelling up. However, how often they use their inhaler depends on how severe their case is. Some use their inhalers only twice a day if they have a mild case. Others with more severe cases use their inhalers at an average of every four hours.
Besides, the weather can also increase the use of the inhaler. Never be caught without one!
2. Have a face mask on hand if the place has a lot of things that trigger asthma attacks.
Pollen, smoke, dust, and even pet fur can trigger asthma attacks. So in case our kids want to play, in a dusty place with the other kids, they can join them so long as they have their face mask and their inhaler. The face mask prevents our kids’ airways from swelling up because the dust and dirt get caught in the filter.
3. Keep an asthma diary.
Asthma diaries are notebooks containing records of when our kids took their medicines or had an asthma attack. Once we get used to the routine, we’ll start noticing patterns in our kids’ attacks and also what triggers is. And if ever their asthma attack merits a trip to the hospital, we can rush our kids to the emergency room and hand over the diary to the attending doctors so they can respond accordingly.
4. Keep a decluttered house!
Clutter doesn’t just look ugly but they’re potential sources of dirt, dust, and insect nests. Insects like termites, when they build their nests, cover them with naphthalene (the same thing mothballs are made of) to protect themselves which is also highly poisonous to humans. Some materials like fleece and wool are also prone to attracting dust and dirt.
So if we don’t see ourselves using certain wooden furniture pieces or fabrics, best to declutter or upcycle it.
5. Invest in a vacuum cleaner that doesn’t use a dust bag.
After we use vacuum cleaners, the most annoying part is cleaning out the dust bag which can trigger our kids’ asthma attacks. What some parents do instead is they get a vacuum cleaner that has a water container that traps the dust. That way, they can just pour it down the drain instead of having the dust fly all over the place. Rainbow Vac has a few models that sport that particular feature.
Our kids can live long and fulfilling lives so long as their asthma is managed!
Asthma, in some cases, can be fatal. But so long as parents stay on top of it by keeping proper records then, their kids can still enjoy their childhoods. Some parents even encourage their kids to get into sports to help build their immune system and lung capacity, reducing the number of asthma attacks their kids in the long run. Chronic diseases, with proper research and conversations with our doctors, won’t be a death sentence.
More about kids and diseases?
Understanding Whooping Cough: What Parents Can Do When Their Kids Get It
Why We Should Protect Our Kids and Babies From Pneumonia
How To Complete Your Kids’ Vaccines During the Pandemic
