What You Should Know About Pediatric Asthma

Pediatric asthma is a very common problem. Children are more likely to be diagnosed with asthma than adults are. This is due to a number of factors. Pediatric asthma can also be more serious than adult asthma.

Children are more susceptible to asthma and can even have the symptoms at birth. There are many reasons for this. If a child has a light birth weight, then pediatric asthma is a greater threat. Also if the child’s parents have asthma, the child is more likely to have it as well. African American children are also at a greater risk for developing pediatric asthma. The reason for this is unknown, but research has proven it to be true.

Pediatric asthma is also more common than adult asthma due to the fact that a child’s lungs are not fully developed. Their lungs do not work as hard as adults do and cannot fight off infection. A child’s bronchial airways are also a lot smaller than an adults. When they become even the slightest bit inflamed, it can make it difficult for the child to breathe.  During an asthma attack mucus forms on the airways, if they are already inflamed, the mucus can caused them to be almost completely blocked.

Pediatric asthma should be treated at the first onset of symptoms. If it is not detected right away the child could produce more dangerous ailments. Like adult asthma, pediatric asthma can lead to heart conditions and more serious respiratory problems. Some symptoms of pediatric asthma to look for are fatigue, weakness, decreased energy, coughing and shortness of breath. If the child is portraying any of these symptoms they should see a doctor immediately. The doctor is likely to take a breathing test and chest x-ray to determine whether or not the child has asthma. If the test is positive, the child may have to take an oral corticosteroid, have an inhaler and have daily breathing treatments. This will vary depending on the severity of the child’s condition.