Asthma Treatment Information

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Asthma Treatment

A child of any age with asthma needs a team of attentive parents and health-care providers on his side. Good rapport among all concerned is essential. The specific approaches used for your child will depend upon thefrequency and severity of the asthma episodes and the triggers that set it off. Treatment may be needed sporadically or year-round. The most important intervention forasthma may be daily medication that prevents wheezing, not the sporadic treatment of flareups.

Several types of medications are prescribed to treatasthma, but patients (or the parents of young children)most clearly understand their specific functions and when and how they should be used.

A fuzzily of medications called bronchodilators-for example, albuterol (Proventil or Ventolin) or team-taline (Brethaire) - immediately relieve wheezing andusually maintain improved airflow for four to six Hours.These are usually taken through metered dose inhalers(MDIs), which dispense measured bursts of medica-tion. For very young children as well as older children with more severe asthma, a home nebulizer device may be more appropriate. This converts liquid medicationinto an aerosol form that is easily inhaled using a facemask or mouthpiece. Because bronchodilators are distantly related to adrenaline, they may cause tremors or rapid heart rate, especially if taken more often than prescribed. (These symptoms are more likely if the pill or syrup forms are used rather than an inhaler.) In children twelve years or older, the inhaled bronchodilatorsalmeterol (Serevent) may be used for maintenance to prevent attacks, since it is active for up to twelve hours.

However, salmeterol cannot be used to treat anasthma attack.

Because they help asthmatic children feel much better right away, they are frequently use. Repeated doses of this type of medication may cause enough temporary relief. While it is okay, it actually is deteriotating your child if using it for four or five times a day regularly. Asthma is very likely to get out of hand and you should see his doctor about additional t':ment. Do not buy and use over-the-counter as a substitute for proper medical care supervision.

Steroids in various forms more directly quiet in the inflammation that underlies the reactive aims!sponse. Your child's doctor might prescribe a course of oral steroids to bring an intense when:episode under rapid control. Long-term oral 5,treatment can pose a major dilemma because of its,bination of lifesaving benefits and major side effects -same treatment given by inhaler does not risk theside effects. Using a steroid inhaler daily for weekmonths to prevent wheezing will generally be safe,intermittent doses of bronchodilators to stop acute air,attacks.

Cromolyn (Intal and other brands) is another -for long-term prevention, especially for a child v.ercise-induced wheezing or a strong allergic comet to his asthma. This medication is given by inhaler. While it is not as potent as a steroid, cromolyn can help minimize wheezing in a child.

All inhalers are usually more effective in children,spacers such as the AeroChamber or InspirEase are with them. A spacer is purchased separately or provided by the physician), and the inhaler canister inserted rit prior to each use. (One steroid product, Annacomes with a built-in spacer.) These devices elimr.the need for precise coordination of the child's deerhalation and the actuation (firing the puff) of thehaler. Spacers also prevent larger droplets ofmedication from being deposited in the mouth and throat and improve the overall delivery of the drat lethe lower airways. If your child is going to use a chodilator and a steroid and/or cromolyn inhaler at neesame time, the bronchodilator should be given firs because it will open up the airways and allow better distribution of the other medication. Holding the breath for a few seconds after inhaling a puff will help more of itrive at its destination. Theophylline has been used to treat asthma for and may still be helpful for some children.

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