Childhood Asthma

•What is it?•What does it look like?•What can I do?•Resources

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So, exactly what is Asthma?

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What Asthma looks like.

Causes and Symptoms

• A physician looks at the onset of symptoms and associated allergies and does a pulmonary lung function test.

• Many children will wheeze, cough, or have shortness of breath and can be fatigued.

• The symptoms worsen at night and can become intermittent.

• Triggers are allergies, viruses, immune system, heredity, or environmental.

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Recognizing an Attack

• Shortness of breath• Wheezing• Cough• Heaving chest, use of neck muscles to

breathe, flaring of nostrils• Children tend to hunch over and are

restless• NOT EVERY CHILD WHEEZES!

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Prevention and Management

First, collaborate with families about an asthma treatment plan.

Next, know your medicines and inhalers.

Finally, be preventive and act early.

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Peak Flow Meters

Record child’s “personal best” reading to use as a baseline.

Green zone: 80% to 100 % SAFEYellow zone: 50% to 80% NEEDS MEDSRed zone: below 50% EMERGENCY

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Inhalers and Spacers

NebulizersInhalersSpacers

BronchodilatorsAnti-Inflammatory DrugsEpinephrine

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Asthma Facts

• One out of three asthmatics in the US is under 18.

• Asthma is the most common childhood chronic illness.

• Occurs more often in African Americans and women.

• It is the leading cause for absenteeism from school.

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Resources

• The Asthma Sourcebook, by Francis V. Adams, MD.

• www.aafa.org Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

• http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/asthma/index.html Children’s Asthma Center

• http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/asthma/index.html Keep Kids Healthy/AsthmaTamra Green

Peace College