Wellness Medical Care

Asthma is a common disease that affects 24 million people in the United States, according to Medscape. In addition, it is the most common childhood disease in the US, affecting nearly 7 million kids, and is a typical cause of childhood hospitalization. Asthma is an affliction that involves bronchial inflammation and intermittent airflow obstruction.

Healthychildren.org states there are certain triggers that can set off an asthma attack. Most children who have asthma also have allergies, and allergies can trigger an attack. Trigger allergens include dust mites, pet dander, pollen, and mold. Furthermore, infections of the nose and throat are common asthma triggers. Environmental irritants such as cigarette smoke, smog, cold air, dry air, and fragrances are also common triggers of asthma. (more…)

“Normal” breathing means different things for different children. One child breathes quietly, while another makes noise with each breath. A child at rest takes slow, deep breaths, while a running child breathes quickly. Given the range of normal, it can be difficult to tell when breathing is abnormal.

You will hear several terms used to describe “abnormal breathing.” Labored breathing refers to rapid, often shallow breathing associated with increased effort to take each breath. Respiratory distress is an exaggerated form of labored breathing that is associated with not getting enough oxygen into the body.

Wheezing is a sound heard on exhalation, a high-pitched whistle. It may be associated with labored breathing or respira­tory distress, or it may not. The easiest way to understand why breathing may be labored to understand the path that air follows from the nose and mouth down to the lungs. (more…)

The best way to manage an allergy is to remove the offending agent. If you know what your child is sensitive to, this should be easy. But often you have no idea. In such circumstances, you can begin by trying to minimize exposure to the most common aller­gens. Here are some good initial steps.

- Vacuum your child’s room daily or every other day (if it has carpeting) to reduce the number of dust mites.

- Try running an air purifier such as a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter in the corner of your child’s room to pick up additional dust mites and dander.

- If there is a flowering tree outside one of your windows, try to keep that window closed to minimize pollen entry into the house. (more…)

Once you hear a croup cough, you will never forget it. The cough is harsh and dry, sudden and dramatic — often described as sounding like a barking seal. However, some children with croup have congestion, a runny nose, or even a wet cough. The hallmark of croup is that, wet or dry, the cough is harsh.

Inexplicably, croup almost always begins as the sun goes down and gets worse through the night. By the time the sun comes up the next morning, it is usually getting better.

Its duration varies, sometimes lasting one night, sometimes five. It tends to be at its worst on the second night. Occasionally, the cough continues through the daytime, predicting a rough night to come.

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If you think your child is in respiratory distress, is not breathing, or is struggling to breathe, call 911 and start CPR immediately.

Sometimes moisturized air can make breathing more comfort­able. You can try using steam (such as a steamy bathroom) or cool mist (such as a vaporizer). Try this only when the breathing difficulty is mild, in conjunction with other treatments, and on the advice of your doctor.

If an irritant has triggered the breathing difficulty, remove the irritant. If you are indoors, go outside. A cigarette smoker can trigger an asthma attack in a bystander just by wearing a sweater or shirt saturated with smoke. Cats shed large amounts of dander, so even if a cat is removed from the room, the dander lingering on the carpet can cause the irritation to continue.

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