Asthma | First Aid for Asthma

Do you suspect that your infant or toddler may have asthma?

Asthma is a condition where the tubes that carry air to and from the lungs when you breath, becomes tighter and the inner lining becomes inflamed, swells and produces a sticky mucous, which makes it difficult to breath.

It does not effect all children. This condition can be caused, or triggered, by infections such as colds and flue, irritants such as dust, smoke, fumes and chemicals, as well as allergies to pollen,dust-mites, foods, medicines or animals. Excessive emotion whether happinessand laughing, or grief and crying can also trigger an attack.A number children who develop this problem in their early years, grow out of it by the time that they are 16.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

HOME TREATMENT

Coughing, particularly at night and after exercise

Wheezing

Shortness of breath

Tight chest

More difficulty breathing out than in

Only able to speak one or two words at a time

Not enough breath to be able to talk

Not enough breath for babies to be able to feed

Wheezing alone, does not mean your child is asthmatic. It is also an indication of bronchitis

Note: Very young children having a severe attack donot often appear to be distressed - be very alert

If your child is a diagnosed asthmatic, follow yourdoctors instructions and treatment plan.

If after 5 – 10 minutes the symptoms do notgo away, call for immediate emergency assistance, or get your child tothe nearest Emergency Centre, whilst continuing to provide treatment

An undiagnosed child suspected of having an attack,should be taken to his doctor or an emergency room immediately

Do not allow your child or any other person, to reach the stage where you can no longer hear breath sounds, or wheezing. This means that little or no air is getting to their lungs and therefore little or no oxygen is getting to the brain!

Avoid giving your child, or any person who has breathing problems, medicationcontaining asprin, or what is known as a “beta blocker” (used in treatment for high blood pressure) such medications tighten the lungs and can set off a severe attack.

I have a sister who is nineteen years younger than me. As an infant, she was constantly having allergy problems. As an adult, she was regularly rushed into hospital because of severe asthmatic attacks.

Eventually, it occurred to me to phone and ask her if she had been taking any medication prior to any of her attacks (I live about a thousand kilometers away).

It turned out, that prior to EVERY bad attack, she had developed a cold and would take cold and flue medication. The medication contained ASPIRIN.

To the best of my knowledge, since stopping all such medication, she has never landed up in hospital again, and the severity of her attacks have diminished to the point where she hardly ever has to use her asthma pump.

What I did find sad, is that no Doctor ever warned her against aspirin.

Do not allow smoking in the home
Vacume carpets and soft furnishings daily
Wash curtains regularly
Wipe down furniture and ornaments with a damp cloth on a daily basis
If possible replace carpeting with wood floors or ceramic tiles.
Do not use pillows or duvets that contain feathers.
Wash all bedding at least once per week.
Avoid furry toys where possible and wash them regularly if you do have them.
Do not have furry or feathered pets.
Rub a little petroleum jelly into your child's nostrils to catch pollen and house-mites before they are breathed into his lungs.

WARNING

DO NOT GIVE ASPIRIN TOANY PERSON UNDER 19 YEARS OF AGE: Aspirin has been associated with Reye'sSyndrome, alife threatening disease.

For furtherinformation on Family Health diseases and illnesses please read the following pages

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