Asthma
In asthma, the airways are often inflamed and therefore narrowed. Children with asthma have very irritable airways and are often allergic to dust, pollen or animals. Asthma and allergies can be hereditary. As children get older, the symptoms usually diminish. With a severe form of asthma or lung problems, they may not grow out of it.
Asthma attack: difficulty breathing
During an asthma attack, all sorts of things happen in the lungs. As soon as they are stimulated by substances your child is sensitive to, the mucous membranes in the nose, throat and lungs swell. The mucous membranes produce more fluid and mucus than usual. The muscles surrounding the airways become cramped and contract. They narrow the airways, making breathing more difficult. The lungs become overcrowded with air, which is not refreshed enough. All these reactions combine to form an asthma attack. During an asthma attack, your child may breathe in or out much less air than usual and this feeling can be very anxious. However, it is not directly dangerous.
Asthma does not cause symptoms every day. Yet it is a disease that does not go away. This is because in asthma, the lungs are always slightly inflamed. This is not the same as pneumonia: in pneumonia, the lungs are usually inflamed by a bacterium. Drug treatment cures pneumonia fairly quickly. Asthma symptoms can sometimes last weeks to months e.g. after the flu. Sometimes there are periods when your child notices little or nothing about his/her asthma. Then the asthma seems cured, but it is not.
Medication in children with asthma
Asthma almost always means that your child will be given medication by their doctor. The good news is that with these medications, asthma is usually quite controllable. Controlled means that your child has as few symptoms as possible and leads a normal life. Medicines are inhaled with an inhaler (a puffer), so they enter the lungs directly. Sometimes medicines are chosen in tablet form.
How common is asthma among children?
About 5 to 15 per cent of Dutch children suffer from asthma to varying degrees.
What are the risk factors?
Children of parents who smoke are more likely to have asthma later in life.
What are the signs and symptoms of asthma in children?
Coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing when breathing are symptoms of asthma. Children with asthma also tend to be less fit and have problems with exercise. Playing sports is difficult; your child may not be able to participate in some exercises in gym class and therefore fall out of the group. As a result, your child may lose the pleasure of exercising, even though exercise is very important. Many children suffer from exertional asthma. Your child then feels extra tight and wheezes when breathing. When your child has severe asthma, the position of the ribs and back may change. This often happens at the time when your child is short of breath.
What can be done about the symptoms?
Asthma cannot be cured, but with proper treatment, you can often get your child's symptoms under control. Of course, you want your child to suffer as little as possible from his or her symptoms. By paying attention to a few small things, you can contribute to this.
What can I do myself?
For children with asthma, it is important that there are no irritants in their environment. Does your child suffer from certain stimuli, such as dust, pets or cigarette smoke? If so, avoid these as much as possible. This can sometimes mean that your family may have to say goodbye to the dog or cat. It is very important not to smoke in your home or near your child. Also try to place furniture in your home that does not cause much dust or lint. Furthermore, you can help your child move in a controlled manner, we can guide and advise you and your child in this. You can also guide your child in taking medicine and in recognising and managing symptoms.
How much does my child suffer from asthma?
It is difficult to say how much impact asthma has on your child's life. One child, with the right treatment and way of life, suffers little. Another continues to suffer more. How much your child suffers can vary from moment to moment. Sometimes your son or daughter may not be able to go to school in the morning, while being able to play outside again in the afternoon. Others don't always understand why that is. A good way to explain this is to have your child give a talk at school about asthma.
Paediatric physiotherapy for asthma
We will give you and your child more information about asthma and tell you about treatment. We also provide guidance on how to improve fitness and try to get your child to enjoy exercise and sports again. In fact, if your child with exertional asthma is properly medicated, your child can play sports. We can inform you which sports are suitable and teach your child to recognise and cope with the symptoms. Your child will then need to do a proper warm-up and apply breath control. With targeted guidance, your child will be able to move better and participate in sports.
In addition, we can teach your child huffing and coughing techniques. This is because many children find it difficult to cough properly. When huffing, your child exhales more forcefully while keeping the throat open. The aim of this is to cough up mucus better. It is also important that your child learns to do exercises and take medicine every day. Finally, it is important that your child recognises the symptoms of the symptoms. If your child has control over the symptoms, he or she often has more self-confidence. Your child will be less afraid to exert himself, which is good for treatment.
Acute bronchitis
If your child has acute bronchitis, your child may feel quite lousy with fever, feeling stuffy and in pain. It is important to take it easy and take enough time to recover. Eat healthily and get enough sleep so that your child's resistance can improve again. Acute bronchitis is annoying, but fortunately it usually goes away on its own.
Hyperventilation
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A child with hyperventilation is literally breathing too much. It breathes too fast and/or too deep. When we breathe normally, we inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. When your child hyperventilates, it breathes in more oxygen, which in itself is not a problem, but also exhales more carbon dioxide. Exhaling too much carbon dioxide can lead to too low levels of carbon dioxide in your child's blood. This can cause the following typical symptoms of hyperventilation:
- Dizziness, feeling light-headed
- Shortness of breath
- Pain in the chest
- Palpitations
- Anxiety (feelings)
- Bloating, burping, flatulence
- Feeling weak, absent-minded, difficulty concentrating
- Tingling or stiffness in the arms and around the mouth
- Muscle cramps in hands and feet Chest pain
Hyperventilation in your child can occur as a sudden attack, this is called acute hyperventilation, but it can also become an almost constant wrong way of breathing, causing the hyperventilation to become chronic. When your child becomes afraid that the hyperventilation will repeat itself, it can end up in a vicious cycle of hyperventilation and fear of it. The child's fear and panic will trigger another attack of hyperventilation. This phenomenon is called hyperventilation syndrome. Hyperventilation is not a disease, but a reaction of your child to anxiety, stress and panic. However, when hyperventilation reaches its chronic form, treatment by a doctor and/or therapist is needed.
Why does your child have hyperventilation?
Hyperventilation in your child can be triggered by psychological, emotional or environmental factors. Sometimes there is an obvious cause for your child's hyperventilation such as a traffic accident or a severe emotional blow such as the death of a loved one. However, hyperventilation is much more often related to anxiety, such as fear of failure, insecurity and stress. Research shows that children with hyperventilation are often sensitive children who mismanage their (fear) feelings and the demands of life. There may also be other causes of hyperventilation such as wrong breathing habits, breathing through the mouth all the time, a loud and dusty environment, speaking too fast and without pauses and anaemia. However, remember that hyperventilation is most often associated with anxiety, insecurity, stress and not coping appropriately with the demands of life, school, parents.
Your child has hyperventilation, what can you do as a parent?
If you think your child is suffering from (chronic) hyperventilation, a proper diagnosis should first be made by a doctor or therapist. The reasons for your child's hyperventilation must be investigated. Through paediatric physiotherapy counselling, we can help teach proper breathing techniques, relaxation exercises and advice on dealing with stress, anxiety, good sleep hygiene, healthy diet and proper exercise. In addition, it can sometimes be useful to refer to e.g. a child psychologist, in order to better understand and control anxiety and stress.
When your child has a seizure, as a parent you should try to stay calm and reassure your child as much as possible. If your child is in a busy environment, try to take them to a quiet, separate room with fresh air if possible. Help your child breathe calmly, possibly by having them breathe into a paper bag. This will make your child breathe back in the excess carbon dioxide that has been exhaled. If there is no paper bag at hand, have your child breathe with the hands folded over the nose and mouth like a bowl, or ask your child to breathe as if gently blowing out a candle. Sometimes distracting your child helps. The most important task as a parent remains to guide your child in a calm and supportive manner during treatment against or when your child has an attack of hyperventilation.