Symptoms and diagnostic of children's asthma
Child Asthma or Asthmatic Bronchitis is a common chronic (long term) disease developed in children usually below 5 years of age. The narrowing of the airways triggered by an irritant can cause difficulty in breathing. This can be very alarming for people and especially children who have no experience with this condition.
Forewarned is forearmed, so they say and early detection of asthma in children is important as it can help prevent this condition from getting worse.
Here are some of the things to watch out for:
- A scared or anxious look among very young children
- Coughing, especially when it happens at night
- Abnormal paleness and/or sweating
- Flaring of the nostrils signaling difficulty in breathing
- Pursing of the lips while breathing
- Rapid or fast breathing
- Throwing up or Vomiting
- Inability to sit up straight or relax usually in a hunched over position
- Restlessness in sleep
- Breathlessness and unusual fatigue
Observe the notch above the child’s Adam’s apple. This notch sinks in as the child breathes in during an asthmatic attack.
Check the spaces between the ribs. These spaces may sink as the child breathes in.
Here are some of the things to listen for:
- Cough without colds
- Intermittent clearing of the throat
- Abnormal or irregular breathing
- Light to moderate wheezing sounds when breathing
- Breathing that is unusually noisy
But how do you know for sure? Here is a diagnostic method you can perform as a lay person:
Place your hand on the child’s chest and lay your ear against his back. This way, you can feel the chil’s chest rise as he breathes in and you’ll feel it go down as he exhales.
If you hear any squeaking or unusual sounds as you listen to the child’s breathing, bring him immediately to a doctor. Although the possible causes aside from asthma are bronchitis and chest infection, only a doctor can say for sure.
Even if you don’t hear any unusual noises but the symptoms are manifesting, this may still be a sign of a bad, fixed chest that still requires medical attention. eek out your doctor immediately.
If you have performed these diagnostics and think that there is a strong possibility that the child has asthma,you should:
- Help the child relax by not panicking and talking to him in a reassuring tone that everything will be all right.
- If your doctor had already suspected beforehand that your child may have asthma and has prescribed medication tohead off any of the signals, follow his prescription to the letter avoiding possible overdose.
- Give the child as much water as he can take in. Do not force him to drink more than normal as excessive fluids are not good for him.
- If you can pinpoint or isolate what triggered the symptoms, get rid of it or take the child away from it immediately.
Signs that medical attention is imperative are:
- Labored breathing with the chest and neck sucked in with every breath.
- Breathing is a struggle
- Child experiences difficulty in talking or walking, suddenly stops playing and can’t resume the activity.
- Bronchodilators fail to relieve difficulty in reathing, or do not achieve at least 50% of normal child’s normal breathing pattern.
- When the child’s LIPS AND NAILS TURN BLUE OR GREY.