Asthma is on the rise in children, how to prevent it?

 Asthma is on the rise in children, how to prevent it?

Asthma is one of the most common chronic problems in children. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 300 million people in the world have asthma. The largest number of them are children. Asthma in children is also called childhood asthma. Asthma in adults and asthma in children are different.

One of the reasons for the increase in the number of people with asthma is the lack of awareness about its treatment and prevention. To raise awareness about this, ‘Asthma Day’ is celebrated every year on this day. The slogan of World Asthma Day 2025 is ‘Ensure access to inhaler treatment for all’.

This slogan emphasizes eliminating unequal access to inhalers, spreading public awareness, improving health systems, and reducing deaths from asthma. Because, there is a lack of information and treatment about asthma in rural and remote areas.

In many places, the availability of inhalers is limited and people also have misconceptions about its use.

What is asthma?

Childhood asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that affects the airways of the lungs. This problem affects the airways, causing swelling and narrowing of the organs there. In some cases, it can even make it difficult to breathe. You may feel pressure in the chest when you cough.

If asthma is not treated for a long time, complications such as worsening of the airways, shrinkage of the lung parts, and lung infections can occur. An asthma attack can be triggered suddenly and become serious, which may require immediate medical treatment.

Causes

Dust, smoke, pollen, and animal hair also trigger asthma. Polluted air in urban areas further increases the risk of asthma. Currently, with the increasing pollution outbreak, it seems that asthma patients living in urban areas are relatively increasing.

Similarly, cigarette smoke causes irritation and obstruction in the airways. The risk of asthma increases in children born to mothers who smoke during pregnancy. Frequent respiratory infections in childhood can lead to chronic asthma.

If someone in the family has asthma, the child's chance of developing the disease increases by 3 to 6 times.

Why is it increasing?

Most recent studies have shown that asthma is increasing rapidly in children. Among the above-mentioned factors, the main reason is the increasing exposure of children to allergens such as dust, air pollution, and secondhand cigarette smoke.

In addition, the strengthening of immunity during childhood and the reduction in exposure to diseases have also contributed to this problem. Similarly, this problem is also seen when immunity is low. In such a situation, the child's immune system is weakened due to the decrease in breastfeeding rates and the lack of adequate nutrition has further increased the risk of asthma.

Risk factors

Extensive pollution, allergies, low birth weight, prolonged exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy or after birth. Even if someone in the family already had this problem, there is a risk of the child developing it.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of asthma can range from mild to severe. If they are severe, you should seek immediate medical attention.

For example,

- Shortness of breath even with normal movement.

- Wheezing.

- Not getting better even with an inhaler.

- Chest discomfort or muscle tightness.

- Excessive sweating.

- Blue face, lips, or nails.

What tests should be done if you have any concerns?

Your doctor may recommend some tests if you have any concerns. Pulmonary function tests – These tests measure the amount of air your child can hold in their lungs and how quickly they can breathe out.

The report from these tests helps your healthcare provider determine the severity of your child's asthma. Allergy skin tests and blood tests – These tests help identify whether any allergens are causing a reaction in your child's immune system.

Chest X-ray – Chest X-rays and other imaging tests may be used to check for possible chest problems with asthma.

Pulmonary function tests cannot be done in children like adults.

Therefore, they may need to be tested to see how well the child responds to asthma medications.

Treatment

Asthma is not a completely curable disease. Its treatment is to control it with proper management.

– Regular use of an inhaler as prescribed by a doctor can help relieve swelling and inflammation in the airways.

– ‘Reliever’ is a medicine that provides immediate relief when it is very difficult, while another is a medicine that reduces swelling in the airways for a long time.

– Since oral medications have many side effects, nebulized medications are used directly to inhale. Some children get asthma once a year with oral medications. However, in children who are seriously ill often, medication should also be given through a nebulizer.

– It is important to identify and avoid triggers such as dust, smoke, cold air or allergies. You can consult a doctor to identify the triggers.

– Regular exercise, a balanced diet, stress management and avoiding smoking help control asthma. Do you need to take medication for asthma control forever?

People with asthma do not need to use medication forever. It is possible to recover after some time of control. Asthma that appears before the age of five tends to subside after five years.

If controlled with medication, it is likely to improve and be cured.