THE BABBLE TAKE
Asthma is a chronic disease in which breathing becomes difficult due to a tightening of the bronchial tubes. Exercise-induced asthma and allergic asthma are the two most common types. Doctors say asthma usually first manifests in toddlers through wheezing and coughing fits, though these symptoms are not necessarily a surefire sign of asthma in a young child. Asthma sufferers tend to be genetically predisposed toward the disease — kids with asthma often have parents with asthma. However over the last decades asthma rates have increased in numbers that suggest environmental factors such as pollution, secondhand smoke, mold and dust can cause or aggravate asthma. These are also factors that tend to trigger asthma attacks in those who already have asthma. There is a whole flora of theories on other possible causes of asthma; one British study speculates that household chemicals like bleach and air-freshener may be to blame for the surge in asthma rates among kids; another study looks at the possibility some cases may be linked to early childhood intake of antibiotics. Whatever causes the onset of asthma, it is manageable with medication and control of triggers in the environment.
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Dr. Spock
"If you have a child with asthma, you're no doubt well aware of the impact this disease can have on his life (as well as your own). But the effects of asthma stretch far beyond your own personal experience. The truth is, asthma is the leading cause of chronic illness in children under the age of 17 in the United States. In fact, an estimated 5 million children under the age of 18 years have asthma, and the disease affects more than 1 million under the age of 5."
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Dr. Greene
"Asthma is a chronic, inflammatory disorder of the airways. A person with asthma may not feel symptoms all the time. But when that person has an 'asthma episode' (also called an asthma attack), it becomes hard for air to pass through the airways, resulting in breathing difficulties, wheezing, coughing, or other symptoms. Asthma can be triggered by just about all of the same things that trigger allergies. It also can be triggered by cold air, exercise, and other factors. "
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Dr. Sears
"The first step in learning about asthma is to understand what asthma is, how it affects the lungs, what the major symptoms are, and what the different types are. Asthma is basically the tendency for a person's small airways, called bronchi, within the lungs to constrict or narrow in response to a variety of stimuli. This causes difficulty breathing, coughing, or wheezing. A child needs to display this tendency on numerous occasions before the diagnosis of asthma can be made. A child who wheezes during a cold and couple times a year shouldn't be labeled 'asthmatic.'"
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American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology
"Asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects more than 17 million Americans. Asthma is characterized by inflammation of the airways with intermittent bronchospasm. Bronchospasm is caused by the inflammation of the muscles surrounding the air passageways. The inflammation makes the airways smaller and therefore making it more difficult for air to move in and out of the lung. Every person has their own triggers. If you have asthma you can minimize your symptoms by avoiding the factors that trigger your symptoms, and by working with your physician to develop an effective management and treatment plan."
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Medical News Today
"The steady rise in asthma rates, a trend which has been seen over the last fifteen years, may now be reversing. This study finds the clearest indications of this in young children, but the same may also apply to older age groups. This encouraging development could be the result of better diagnoses and improved treatment."
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