Disease Awareness #2- Asthma

My second Disease Awareness is Asthma.  Asthma Awareness Month is May. Both of my boys has asthma.  Noah has it worse than Ethan.  Ethan's is only seasonal.  Mostly when Ethan is sick or during the winter.  Noah was diagnosed when he was 4 years old.  We had a scare when he was 10 months old.  He turned blue in his walker.  Noah was taken by ambulance to the ER & later life-flighted to our Children's.  We were told he could have asthma, but he was too young to be diagnosed with it, which was 2 months younger than Ethan was diagnosed with it.  Ethan was a couple days over a year when he was diagnosed with asthma.  A year later at 2 years Ethan was then diagnosed with seasonal asthma, which like I said before when he is sick with a cold or during the winter.  We just watch him during those times.  Since Ethan is 4 now, he tells us when he needs a breathing treatment.  Ethan was just sick last week with a cold & he said "Mom, I need a breathing treatment!"  Ethan takes the breathing treatments so much better then he did when he was a year old.  He used to cry.  Now he just sits there & breathes in & out. 

Noah's asthma has improved 100% since he was diagnosed.   His asthma doctor lowered his inhaler (was Advair now Flovent) and she has been talking about in a year, Noah will not be on any inhalers!!  WHOO HOO!!  Noah has not had an ER visit in over 2 years.  I would have to look it up in his asthma journal to tell you the exact date.  I have kept his asthma journal since he was diagnosed.  I also have one for Ethan, too.  It is hard to keep track of when their last asthma attack was.  

When you have asthma, your airways narrow and swell. They produce extra mucus, and breathing becomes difficult. 

Asthma signs and symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Chest tightness or pain
• Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing
• An audible whistling or wheezing sound when exhaling (wheezing is a common sign of asthma in children)
• Bouts of coughing or wheezing that are worsened by a respiratory virus such as a cold or the flu

Signs that your asthma is probably getting worse include:

• More frequent and bothersome asthma signs and symptoms
• Increasing difficulty breathing (this can be measured by a peak flow meter, a simple device used to check how well your lungs are working)
• An increasingly frequent need to use a quick-relief inhaler.

For some people, asthma symptoms flare up in certain situations:

1. Exercise-induced asthma occurs during exercise. For many people, exercise-induced asthma is worse when the air is cold and dry.
2. Occupational asthma is asthma that's caused or worsened by breathing in a workplace irritant such as chemical fumes, gases or dust.
3. Allergy-induced asthma. Some people have asthma symptoms that are triggered by particular allergens, such as pet dander, cockroaches or pollen.
 

 I think it is important to know your triggers. 

Here are some Triggers:

Secondhand Smoke

Dust Mites

Mold

Cockroaches and Pests

Pets

Nitrogen Dioxide

Chemical Irritant

Outdoor Air Pollution

Wood Smoke

   

Here is a Kids Asthma Booklet: Click HERE.  I am going to print this out for Noah.  


Have a great night.
Melissa  


If you think you have any symptoms of asthma, remember I am not a doctor.  Please see your doctor.
 Information from Mayo Clinic