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Illness and Conditions - Special
Overview
Is this topic for you?This topic provides information about asthma in children. If you are looking for information about asthma in teens and adults, see the topic Asthma in Teens and Adults. What is asthma?Asthma makes it hard for your
child to breathe. It causes
swelling
and inflammation Asthma affects children in different ways. Some children only have asthma attacks during allergy season, when they breathe in cold air, or when they exercise. Others have many bad attacks that send them to the doctor often. Even if your child has few asthma attacks, you still need to treat the asthma. If the swelling and irritation in your child's airways isn't controlled, asthma could lower your child's quality of life, prevent your child from exercising, and increase your child's risk of going to the hospital. Even though asthma is a lifelong disease, treatment can control it and keep your child healthy. Many children with asthma play sports and live healthy, active lives. What causes asthma?Experts do not know exactly what causes asthma. But there are some things we do know:
What are the symptoms?Symptoms of asthma can be mild or severe. When your child has asthma, he or she may:
Many children with asthma have symptoms that are worse at night. How is asthma diagnosed?Along with doing a physical exam and asking about your child's symptoms, your doctor may order tests such as:
Your child needs routine checkups so your doctor can keep track of the asthma and decide on treatment. How is it treated?There are two parts to treating asthma. The goals are to:
Using an
inhaler
with a spacer If your child needs to use the rescue inhaler more often than usual, talk to your doctor. This is a sign that your child's asthma is not controlled and can cause problems. Asthma attacks can be life-threatening, but you may be able to prevent them if you follow a plan. Your doctor can teach you the skills you need to use your child's asthma treatment and action plans. What else can you do to help your child's asthma?You can prevent some asthma attacks by helping your child avoid those things that cause them. These are called triggers. A trigger can be:
It can be scary when your child has an asthma attack. You may feel helpless, but having a daily treatment plan and an asthma action plan will help you know what to do during an attack. An asthma attack may be severe enough to need urgent medical care, but in most cases you can take care of symptoms at home if you have a good asthma action plan. Health Tools |
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 | Decision Points focus on key medical care decisions that are important to many health problems. |
| Should I take allergy shots (immunotherapy) for allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma? | |
 | Actionsets are designed to help people take an active role in managing a health condition. |
| Asthma in children: Helping a child use a metered-dose inhaler and mask spacer | |
| Asthma: Identifying your triggers | |
| Asthma: Measuring peak flow | |
| Asthma: Taking charge of your asthma | |
| Asthma: Using a dry powder inhaler | |
| Asthma: Using a metered-dose inhaler | |
| Asthma: Using an asthma action plan | |
The cause of
asthma is unknown. Health experts believe that
inherited, environmental, and
immune system factors combine to cause
inflammation
of the bronchial tubes, which carry air
to the lungs. This can lead to asthma symptoms and
asthma attacks.
Symptoms of asthma can be mild or severe. Your child may have no symptoms; severe, daily symptoms; or something in between. How often your child has symptoms can also change. Symptoms of asthma may include:
)
narrow.If your child has only one or two of these symptoms, it does not necessarily mean he or she has asthma. The more of these symptoms your child has, the more likely it is that he or she has asthma.
An asthma attack occurs when your child's symptoms suddenly increase. Factors that can lead to or worsen an asthma attack include:
Most asthma attacks result from a failure to successfully control asthma with medications. By strictly following the doctor's recommendations and taking all medications correctly, it is possible to prevent these attacks from occurring in most cases. While some asthma attacks occur very suddenly, many get worse gradually over a period of several days.
Many children have symptoms that become worse at night (nocturnal asthma). In all people, lung function changes throughout the day and night. In children with asthma, this often is very noticeable, especially at night, and nighttime cough and shortness of breath occur frequently. In general, waking at night because of shortness of breath or cough indicates poorly controlled asthma.
It can be difficult to know how severe your child's asthma attack is. Symptoms are used to classify asthma by severity. Talk with your health professional about how to evaluate your child's symptoms.
Symptoms are also used along with peak expiratory flow to help define the green, yellow, and red zones of your child's asthma action plan. You use this to decide on treatment during an asthma attack.
Other conditions with symptoms similar to asthma include sinusitis and vocal cord dysfunction.
Asthma often begins during childhood or the teen years and may last throughout your child's life.
At times, the
inflammation found in asthma causes your child's
airways to narrow and produce
mucus, resulting in asthma symptoms such as shortness
of breath.
The airways narrow when they overreact to certain substances. These are known as asthma triggers and may include:
What triggers asthma symptoms varies from child to child. When asthma is triggered by an allergen, it is known as allergic asthma.
When asthma symptoms suddenly occur, it is known as an asthma attack (also called an acute episode, flare-up, or exacerbation). Asthma attacks can occur rarely or frequently and be mild to severe.
It can be difficult to know how severe your child's asthma attack is; this is important, because severe attacks may require emergency treatment. However, in most cases you can take care of your child's symptoms at home with an asthma action plan, which is a written plan that tells you which medication your child needs to use and when you should call a health professional or seek emergency treatment.
Asthma is classified as mild intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent, and severe persistent. Children with:
Asthma can have a great impact on your child's life. Even mild asthma may result in changes to the airway system (airway remodeling) and speed up and worsen the natural decrease in lung function that occurs as we age.3 Loss of lung function in asthma appears to start early in childhood.4 Asthma also may increase the risk of a partial collapse of lung tissue (atelectasis) or a collapsed lung (pneumothorax).
Sometimes asthma does not respond to treatment because children are not taking their medications, not taking them correctly, not avoiding triggers, and otherwise not following their daily treatment plan or asthma action plan. It is very important that you and other caregivers make sure your child is following his or her treatment and action plans to prevent worsening asthma and an increased risk of death.
By following asthma plans, most children with asthma can live a healthy, full life.
Many factors may increase the risk of a child developing asthma. Some of these are not within your control; others you can control.
(which carry air to the lungs) to overreact often develop
asthma.You may be able to change some factors to reduce your child's risk of developing asthma or of making the condition worse.
No one is sure if breast-feeding affects a child's risk of getting asthma. Some studies show that breast-feeding protects a child from getting asthma.10, 11 Other studies show that breast-feeding, especially when mothers with asthma breast-feed, may actually increase a child's risk of getting asthma.12 Two large studies found that breast-feeding had no effect on the development of asthma.13, 14 Mothers are still encouraged to breast-feed their children for all the other proven health benefits that come from breast-feeding.
Experts are also not sure about the effect that pets in the home have on getting asthma. Some research shows that having cats or dogs in the home increases an adult's risk of getting asthma.15 But other research has seemed to show that being around pets early in life might actually protect a child against getting asthma.16 If your child already has asthma and allergies to pets, having a pet in the home may make his or her asthma worse.
Your child may be at increased risk for severe asthma attacks if he or she:
Triggers that may make asthma worse and may lead to asthma attacks in your child include:
If your child has been diagnosed with asthma and has an asthma action plan (which tells you what medications to take during an asthma attack), do the following.
Call 911 or other emergency services immediately if your child has severe asthma symptoms (in the red zone of the asthma action plan) and you have followed the plan, but:
Call your health professional immediately if your child:
Call your health professional if your child:
If your child has not been diagnosed with asthma but has asthma symptoms, call your health professional and make an appointment for an evaluation. Many children and teens with frequent wheezing have asthma but are not diagnosed with the disease. Children and teens who are less likely to be diagnosed with asthma include:18
Watchful waiting is a period of time during which you and your health professional observe your child's symptoms or condition without using medical treatment.
If you think your child has asthma, watchful waiting is not appropriate. See your health professional.
If your child has been getting treatment for 1 to 3 months and is not improving, ask your health professional whether the child needs to see a specialist (allergist or pulmonologist).
Watchful waiting may be appropriate if your child follows his or her daily asthma treatment and action plans and stays within the green zone. Monitor your child's symptoms, and continue to avoid asthma triggers.
Health professionals who can diagnose and treat asthma include:
Your child may need to see a specialist (an allergist or pulmonologist) if he or she has:
Your child also needs to see a specialist if he or she:19
Diagnosis of asthma is based on medical history, physical examination, and simple lung function tests such as spirometry.
Diagnosing asthma in babies and toddlers is often very difficult. Symptoms may be the same as those of other diseases, such as infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia), sinuses (sinusitis), and small airways (bronchiolitis). If you have a very young child, spirometry is not practical, so the diagnosis is made based on your report of symptoms.
Repeated wheezing is the key symptom in children with asthma; however, asthma is not the most common cause of wheezing. Still, if your child wheezes frequently, he or she should be checked for asthma, especially if cough and shortness of breath are also present. Many children and teens with frequent wheezing may have asthma but are not diagnosed with the disease.
To make a diagnosis of asthma in your child, the doctor may look for factors associated with asthma:
In an older child, lung function tests can diagnose asthma, determine its severity, and check for complications.
and whether the tubes can return to their usual size in
a short time after using medication. The test is recommended at least every 1
to 2 years after asthma treatment has begun.A newer test to monitor asthma is the NIOX nitric oxide test system. This test measures nitric oxide in exhaled air. A decrease in nitric oxide suggests that treatment may be reducing inflammation caused by asthma.
You need to monitor your child's condition and have regular checkups to keep asthma under control and to review and possibly update your child's daily treatment and action plans. The frequency of checkups depends on how your child's asthma is classified. Checkups are recommended:
During checkups, your health professional will ask you and your child whether symptoms and peak expiratory flow have held steady, improved, or become worse, and about asthma attacks during exercise, at night, or after laughing or crying hard. You and your child track this information in an asthma diary. Your child may be asked to bring the peak expiratory flow meter to an appointment so your health professional can see how he or she uses it. Based on the results, your child's asthma category may change, and your health professional may change the medications your child uses or how much medication he or she uses.
Asthma sometimes is hard to diagnose because symptoms vary widely from child to child and within each child over time. Symptoms may be the same as those of other conditions, such as influenza or other viral respiratory infections. Tests that may be done to determine whether diseases other than asthma are causing your child's symptoms include:
If your child has persistent asthma and takes medication every day, your health professional may ask about his or her exposure to substances (allergens) that cause an allergic reaction. For more information about the following tests, see the topic Allergic Rhinitis.
Allergy tests include:
Other tests may be done to see whether other conditions such as sinusitis, nasal polyps, or gastroesophageal reflux disease are present.
Although your child's asthma cannot be cured, you can manage the symptoms with medications, especially inhaled corticosteroids and beta2-agonists. You and your child will usually work with your health professional to develop a management plan consisting of a daily treatment plan and an asthma action plan. These plans help you and your child meet treatment goals:
in the lungs.For more information, see:
Babies and small children need early treatment for asthma symptoms to prevent severe breathing problems. They may have more serious problems than adults because their bronchial tubes are smaller. Although it may appear that occasional treatment with medications for children with mild asthma is enough, one review has noted that one-third of fatal asthma attacks occurred in children with mild asthma.20 Even if your child's asthma does not appear severe, work with your health professional to develop the right plan for your child.
The National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) recommends treatment with long-term medications for infants and young children who:21
If your child has a severe asthma attack (the red zone of the asthma action plan), give him or her medication based on the action plan and talk with a health professional immediately about what to do next. This is especially important if your child's peak expiratory flow (PEF) does not return to the green zone or stays within the yellow zone after he or she takes medication. You and your child may have to go to the hospital or an emergency room for treatment.
At the hospital, your child will probably receive inhaled beta2-agonists and corticosteroids. He or she may be given oxygen therapy. Doctors will assess your child's lung function and condition. Depending on the response, further treatment in the emergency room or a stay in the hospital may be necessary.
Your child needs to monitor his or her asthma and have regular checkups to keep asthma under control and to ensure correct treatment. The frequency of checkups depends on how your child's asthma is classified. Checkups are recommended:
During checkups, your health professional will check to see that all your goals are being met. He or she will ask you and your child whether symptoms and peak expiratory flow have held steady, improved, or become worse, and about asthma attacks during exercise, at night, or after laughing or crying hard. You track this information in an asthma diary. Your child may be asked to bring the peak expiratory flow meter to an appointment so your health professional can see how he or she uses it.
There are many components to managing asthma. Because asthma develops from a complex interaction of genetics, environmental factors, and the reaction of the immune system, no one plan will be effective for all children. After your child's diagnosis, your health professional may only discuss the components you need to know immediately. These include:
of your child's airways and are taken
every day to keep asthma under control and to prevent asthma attacks. Inhaled
corticosteroids include beclomethasone dipropionate, triamcinolone acetonide,
fluticasone propionate, budesonide, and flunisolide. with an MDI. A DPI medicine is a dry powder.
Your child breathes in sharply to inhale the medication. How well the DPI works
may depend on how well your child inhales. A dry powder inhaler should not be
used with a spacer. For more information, see:
The short-term goal is to control your child's current symptoms. Long-term, your goal is to prevent your child's symptoms so that asthma does not impact your child's daily activities.
Special considerations in treating asthma include:
After your child's initial treatment for asthma, it is important for you and your child to learn more about the condition and develop an overall plan to manage the disease. You, your child, and your health professional will work together to do this. Because asthma develops from a complex interaction of genetics, environmental factors, and the reaction of the immune system, no one management plan is effective for everyone.
Asthma management consists of:
Asthma: Using an asthma action
plan.
(What is a PDF document?).If your child has persistent asthma and reacts to allergens, he or she may need to have skin testing for allergies. Allergy shots (immunotherapy) may be helpful. For more information, see:
Your child can expect to live a normal life if he or she controls symptoms by following the daily treatment and action plans. If asthma symptoms are not controlled, the disease may progress, permanently damaging the bronchial tubes that carry air to the lungs.
Special considerations in treating asthma include:
If your child's asthma is not improving, talk with your doctor and:
If your child's medication is not working to control airway inflammation, your health professional will first check to see whether your child is using the inhaler correctly. If your child is using it correctly, your health professional may increase the dosage, switch to another medication, or add a medication to the existing treatment. You can work with your health professional to educate your child about the importance of taking medications correctly and to encourage your child's teachers, babysitters, and other adults to help your child follow his or her plan.
Your doctor may suggest other medications, such as leukotriene pathway modifiers (zafirlukast, zileuton, or montelukast sodium). Less commonly, your doctor may recommend mast cell stabilizers (cromolyn sodium or nedocromil) or theophylline (Theo-Dur, Slo-bid, Uniphyl, or Uni-Dur).
If your child's asthma does not improve with treatment, he or she may require more intensive treatment, including larger doses of corticosteroids or other medications. An asthma specialist generally prescribes these medications.
If your child has persistent asthma and reacts to allergens, he or she may need to have skin testing for allergies. Allergy shots (immunotherapy) may be helpful.
If your child has been diagnosed with asthma, it is important that you treat it. He or she may feel good most of the time-so much so that it may be hard to believe your child has a long-lasting condition. But all asthma-even mild asthma-may result in changes to the airways that speed up and worsen the natural decrease in lung function that occurs as we age.3
While there is no certain way to prevent
asthma, you can take steps to reduce your child's
airway
inflammation and the likelihood of
asthma attacks.
No one is sure if breast-feeding affects a child's risk of getting asthma. Some studies show that breast-feeding protects a child from getting asthma.10, 11 Other studies show that breast-feeding, especially when mothers with asthma breast-feed, may actually increase a child's risk of getting asthma.12 Two large studies found that breast-feeding had no effect on the development of asthma.13, 14 Mothers are still encouraged to breast-feed their children for all the other proven health benefits that come from breast-feeding.
The main focus of prevention is on reducing the number, length, and severity of asthma attacks. The best way to prevent asthma attacks in your child is to follow your doctor's recommendations and make sure your child takes asthma control medications as directed. By doing this, it is possible, in most cases, to prevent asthma attacks. Also, by avoiding triggers, your child may be able to prevent or reduce the severity of symptoms. For more information on identifying your child's triggers, see:
Below is a list of specific triggers. If you know that any of these triggers cause your child's symptoms to become worse, you should avoid or limit your child's exposure to them.
Upper respiratory infections, including the common cold, cause 85% of asthma attacks in young children.22 Basic preventive measures include the following:
(What is a PDF document?)) every year.Common irritants in the air, such as tobacco smoke and air pollution, can trigger asthma symptoms in some children.
Controlling tobacco smoke is important because it is a major cause of asthma symptoms in children and adults. If your child has asthma, try to avoid being around others who are smoking, and ask people not to smoke in your house.
Consider keeping your child inside when air pollution levels are high. Other irritants in the air (such as fumes from gas, oil, or kerosene, or wood-burning stoves) can sometimes irritate the bronchial tubes. Avoiding these may decrease asthma symptoms.
Your child may be allergic to certain substances (allergens). You may decrease your child's asthma symptoms by limiting exposure to those substances.
To help reduce your child's exposure to allergens:
It also may be necessary to avoid exposure to other types of triggers that cause asthma symptoms.
Some research indicates that children who have older siblings or who attend day care may receive some protection from developing asthma.23 One theory as to the increasing prevalence of asthma suggests that low exposure to some bacteria and infections may prevent children's immune systems from forming the cells necessary to protect against asthma.
You can control the impact
asthma has on your child's life by following your
asthma plans consistently. A management plan can reduce
inflammation to prevent long-term damage to your
child's lungs and decrease the severity, frequency, and duration of
asthma attacks. Your child may have difficulty
following the plan because of its many different factors.
To help you and your child remain consistent in following your asthma plans:
Your child's asthma plans generally consist of the following:
(What is a PDF document?). For more information on how to monitor and treat asthma, see:
To effectively manage your child's asthma and use his or her daily asthma treatment and action plans, you will have to know how to monitor peak airflow and identify asthma triggers and see that your child takes his or her asthma medication correctly.
It is easy to underestimate the severity of asthma symptoms. You and your child may not notice symptoms until your child's lungs are functioning at 50% of their personal best measurement. Measuring peak expiratory flow (PEF) is a way to keep track of asthma symptoms at home and to know when your child's lung function is becoming worse before it drops to a dangerously low level. You can do this with a peak flow meter. This test can easily be done (with practice) by most children age 5 and older. For more information, see:
A trigger is anything that can lead to an asthma attack. A trigger can be:
If your child can avoid triggers, he or she may decrease the chance of having an asthma attack. And, in the case of allergens, avoiding triggers will help control inflammation in the bronchial tubes. For more information, see:
If your child has asthma triggered by an allergen, taking antihistamine medication may help him or her manage the allergy and thus limit its effect on asthma.
Taking medications is an important part of asthma treatment. But because your child often has to take many different medications, it can be difficult to remember to take them. To help you and your child remember, understand the reasons people don't take their asthma medications, and then find ways to overcome those obstacles, such as taping notes on the bathroom mirror.
Most medications for asthma are inhaled. With inhaled medications, a specific dose of the medication can be given directly to the bronchial tubes, avoiding or decreasing the effects of the medication on the rest of the body. Delivery systems for inhaled medications include metered-dose and dry powder inhalers and nebulizers. A metered-dose inhaler (MDI) is used most often.
Many health professionals recommend that every child who
uses a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) also use a
spacer, which is attached to the MDI. A spacer may
deliver the medication to your child's lungs better than an inhaler alone, and
for many people is easier to use than an MDI alone. Using a spacer with inhaled
corticosteroids can help reduce their side effects and
result in less use of oral corticosteroids.
If your child is younger than 3, he or she may not be able to use an MDI alone but, with assistance, may be able to use an MDI with a mask spacer. Most school-age children can use an MDI. If your child is having difficulty using an MDI with a spacer, he or she can use a nebulizer. Work with your health professional to find the best delivery system for your child.
It is important to keep track of the inhaler doses and discard the inhaler when your child has used the number of doses indicated on the package labeling. This not only prevents your child from having an empty inhaler when he or she might need medication, but it also prevents your child from inhaling only propellant after the medication has run out. For more information, see:
Asthma: Using a metered-dose
inhaler.Asthma in children: Helping a child use a
metered-dose inhaler and mask spacer.Asthma: Using a dry powder inhaler.To manage your child's asthma:
It is important to treat your child's asthma attacks quickly. If your child does not improve soon after treating an attack, talk with a health professional.
Medication does not cure asthma. However, it is an important part of managing the condition. Medications for asthma treatment are used to:
to minimize long-term lung
damage.Asthma medications are divided into two groups: those for prevention and long-term control of inflammation and those that provide quick relief for asthma attacks. Most children with persistent asthma need to use long-term medications daily. Quick-relief medications are used as needed and provide rapid relief of symptoms during asthma attacks.
Because asthma develops from a complex interaction of genetics, environmental factors, and the reaction of the immune system, different medications and doses of medications may be used. Special consideration may be necessary before and during exercise and before surgery.
Most medications for asthma are inhaled. Inhaled medications are used because a specific dose of the medication can be given directly to the bronchial tubes. Different types of delivery systems may be used to do this, and one type may be more suitable for certain people or age groups than another. Delivery systems include metered-dose and dry powder inhalers and nebulizers. A metered-dose inhaler is used most often.
Many health professionals recommend that every child who
uses a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) also use a
spacer, which is attached to the MDI. A spacer may
deliver the medication to your child's lungs better than an inhaler alone, and
for many people is easier to use than an MDI alone. Using a spacer with inhaled
corticosteroids can help reduce their side effects and
result in less use of oral corticosteroids.
If your child is younger than 3, he or she may not be able to use an MDI alone but, with assistance, may be able to use an MDI with a mask spacer. Most school-age children can use an MDI. If your child is having difficulty using an MDI with a spacer, he or she can use a nebulizer. Work with your health professional to find the best delivery system for your child.
It is important to keep track of the inhaler doses and discard the inhaler when your child has used the number of doses shown on the package label. This not only prevents your child from having an empty inhaler when he or she might need medicine, but it also prevents your child from inhaling only propellant after the medicine has run out. Some newer inhalers have built-in counters to keep track of doses left. For more information on using an inhaler, see:
Asthma: Using a metered-dose
inhaler.Asthma in children: Helping a child use a
metered-dose inhaler and mask spacer.Asthma: Using a dry powder
inhaler.The most important asthma medications are:
Long-term medications sometimes used alone or with other medications for daily treatment include:
Other medications may be given in some cases.
Medication treatment for asthma may differ based on age. See information on:
Medications are usually added one at a time to keep the number of medications low. The dosage of each medication should correspond to the severity of the child's asthma. Generally, your health professional will start your child at a higher dose within an asthma classification so that the inflammation is immediately controlled. After symptoms have been under control for a period of time, the dose of the last medication added may be reduced to the lowest possible dose for maintenance. This is known as step-down care. Step-down care is believed to be a better way to control inflammation in the bronchial tubes than starting at lower doses of medication and increasing the medication if the dose is not enough.
Because quick-relief medication quickly reduces symptoms, children sometimes overuse these medications instead of adding the slower-acting, long-term medications. However, overuse of quick-relief medications may have harmful effects, such as decreasing the future effectiveness of these medications.24 Overuse of quick-relief medication is also an indication that asthma symptoms are not being controlled. You should talk with your health professional immediately.
In children, research indicates that the most important factor in reducing the severity and length of an asthma attack is giving a corticosteroid pill early in a severe attack.The corticosteroid pill works best when it is given at the first sign of symptoms.25 If your child needs oral corticosteroid according to his or her action plan, you should start that treatment right away.
There has been some worry that children who use inhaled corticosteroids may not grow as tall as other children. In the studies done so far, there was a very small difference in height and growth in children using inhaled corticosteroids compared to children not using them. When these children stopped using inhaled corticosteroids, their growth increased. It is expected that even though using inhaled corticosteroids may slow growth at first, children will still grow to a normal height.26, 27 But no study has gone on long enough for experts to be sure. The difference in height is very small and this effect is rare, but children using inhaled corticosteroids should have their height checked once or twice a year.
Your child may have to take many different medications daily to manage his or her asthma. It can be difficult to remember when your child needs to take medication and which medication to take. To help you and your child remember, understand the reasons people don't take their asthma medications, and then find ways to overcome those obstacles, such as taping notes to the refrigerator.
Some children only have symptoms during certain times of the year (seasonal asthma). If you know when your child will most likely have symptoms, your doctor may have him or her start using a medication to decrease inflammation before the symptoms start.
Try to avoid giving your child an inhaled medication when he or she is crying; in this case, not as much medication is delivered to the lungs.
Allergy shots (immunotherapy) may be recommended for children who have asthma symptoms when they are around substances to which they are allergic (allergens). Allergy shots have been shown to reduce asthma symptoms and the need for medications in some people.28 However, allergy shots are not equally effective for all allergens. Allergy shots should not be given when asthma is poorly controlled. For more information, see:
Allergy shots are similar to vaccinations because they contain small doses of one or more substances to which your child is allergic so that the body can become less responsive to them over time.
Research has indicated that (in addition to taking medicine) family therapy, such as counseling, may be helpful to children with asthma.29 In one small study, peak expiratory flow and daytime wheezing improved in children who had therapy compared with those who didn't. Another small study found that children showed overall improvement from therapy.
| American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology | |
| 555 East Wells Street | |
| Suite 1100 | |
| Milwaukee, WI 53202-3823 | |
| Phone: | 1-800-822-2762 (doctor referral information only) (414) 272-6071 |
| E-mail: | info@aaaai.org (For general questions only. The AAAAI cannot answer individual questions relating to the diagnosis or treatment of allergies.) |
| Web Address: | www.aaaai.org |
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology publishes an excellent series of pamphlets on allergies, asthma, and related information. It also provides physician referrals. | |
| Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) | |
| 1233 20th Street NW | |
| Suite 402 | |
| Washington, DC 20036 | |
| Phone: | 1-800-7-ASTHMA (1-800-727-8462) |
| E-mail: | info@aafa.org |
| Web Address: | www.aafa.org |
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) provides information and support for people who have allergies or asthma. The AAFA has local chapters and support groups. And its Web site has online resources, such as fact sheets, brochures, and newsletters, both free and for purchase. | |
Citations
Bush RK (2002). Environmental controls on the management of allergic asthma. Medical Clinics of North America, 86(3): 973-989.
McGeady SJ (2004). Immunocompetence and allergy. Pediatrics, 113(4): 1107-1113.
Jarjour NN, Kelly EAB (2002). Pathogenesis of asthma. Medical Clinics of North America, 86(3): 926-936.
Martinez FD (2002). Development of wheezing disorders and asthma in preschool children. Pediatrics, 109(2): 362-367.
Rodriguez MA, et al. (2002). Identification of population subgroups of children and adolescents with high asthma prevalence: Findings from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 156(3): 269-275.
Eichenfield LF, et al. (2003). Atopic dermatitis and asthma: Parallels in the evolution of treatment. Pediatrics, 111(3): 608-616.
Guilbert T, Krawiec M (2003). Natural history of asthma. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 50(3): 524-538.
Gilliland FD, et al. (2006). Regular smoking and asthma incidence in adolescents. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 174(10): 1094-1100.
Etzel RA (2003). How environmental exposures influence the development and exacerbation of asthma. Pediatrics, 112(1): 233-239.
Oddy WH (2004). A review of the effects of breastfeeding on respiratory infections, atopy, and childhood asthma. Journal of Asthma, 41(6): 605-621.
Kull I (2004). Breast-feeding reduces the risk of asthma during the first 4 years of life. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 114(4): 755-760.
Sears MR, et al. (2002). Long-term relation between breast-feeding and development of atopy and asthma in children and young adults: A longitudinal study. Lancet, 360(9337): 901-907.
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| Author: | Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS | Last Updated: March 22, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Harold S. Nelson, MD - Allergy and Immunology | |
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