Bronchial asthma causes disease in children. Bronchial asthma in a child: symptoms and treatment. Complications of bronchial asthma

Bronchial asthma in children is the most common chronic illness respiratory system. Boys are more often diagnosed before the age of five in children. It is difficult for parents to recognize the first anxiety symptoms, the appeal to the doctor is late for several years. Often, disability is immediately issued.

The etiology of the disease is extensive. Possible reasons:

dust mites;
animal hair;
mold fungi;
plant pollen;
tobacco smoke;
antibiotics (penicillin).

Maternal smoking during pregnancy puts the baby at risk bronchial asthma.

Among the reasons, psychosomatics plays a special role: children who are emotionally attached to their mother are more likely to get sick. healthy image life during pregnancy - prevention this disease for the baby. Otherwise, the child may require a disability.

Taking aspirin can trigger an attack of aspirin asthma, which is a allergic form.

Pathogenesis

Pathogenesis consists of stages that proceed sequentially:

Sensitization is the first encounter with an allergen. Cells of the immune system produce immunoglobulin E in response to the penetration of the allergen. It settles on mast cells that are in the bronchi. The immune cells of the respiratory system remember the allergen and are ready to fight it.
pathochemical. It develops upon repeated contact with the allergen. It binds to immunoglobulin on the surface mast cells. The latter, in response to exposure, secrete inflammatory mediators that interact with the cells of the bronchial wall.
Pathophysiological. Inflammatory mediators trigger a cellular response. Develops, swelling of the bronchial wall and production of viscous sputum. The lumen of the bronchus is greatly reduced and the air passes through it with difficulty. An attack develops. The clinic is based on changes in the bronchi.

Forms

Exacerbation of the disease, in most cases, in children is replaced by remission. The etiology of the disease makes it possible to distinguish between atopic (allergic) and non-allergic forms. Their pathogenesis differs, but the clinic is the same.

Disability is issued in any of the forms and allows you to receive benefits.

atopic

The atopic form is established if an allergic etiology of the disease is identified. These include:

a history of allergies in a child;
an attack upon contact with an allergen;
increased immunoglobulin E in the blood test;
allergic diseases siblings, parents and other close relatives.

Non-allergic

It proceeds in the same way as an allergic one, but with a thorough examination it is impossible to detect the causes. Factors provoking an attack can be physical activity, inhalation of cold air, pungent odors. The level of immunoglobulin E remains normal. The pathogenesis has not been studied.

Symptoms

The main symptoms are suffocation and feeling short of breath. In children, sometimes the only signs are frequent colds respiratory system and cough for a long time, especially at night. Frequent SARS that occur without temperature should alert parents. Atopic asthma develops upon contact with a trigger.

Other characteristic symptoms:

difficulty breathing, especially exhalation;
dry wheezing , audible at a distance;
the child is late in growth or development from peers;
blueness of the skin.

How to remove an attack

The attack develops most often at night or in the early morning hours. Psychosomatics plays an important role: an attack develops under stress. The pathogenesis (if asthma is atopic) is based on the fact that dust mites live in the mattress and close contact with the allergen occurs at night.

The following symptoms develop:

suffocation;
the child is frightened, excited;
exhales with difficulty;
wheezing wheezing is heard;
his skin turns blue.

The attack is removed with the help of an inhaler prescribed by a doctor. If the attack is not stopped, complications will develop.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis of bronchial asthma up to five years in children is made, taking into account the symptoms and tests for immunoglobulin E, sensitivity to allergens. Diagnosis is made in children older than five years using instrumental research. Diagnosis is carried out in a hospital.

The simplest and most common method is peak flowmetry.

A small device measures the child's exhalation rate. Signs of the disease - a decrease in this indicator by 20% or more. The attack causes the most pronounced decrease in the strength and speed of breathing.

Severity

Bronchial asthma in children occurs with different severity. The following are evaluated: the clinic, how often an attack occurs, the severity of exacerbations, signs of complications and the results of peak flowmetry. Classification:

Light intermittent (non-permanent). Exacerbations are short-term. Peak flowmetry indicators are 80% of the norm and above. The prognosis is favorable. Disability is not recognized.
Light persistent (permanent). Daytime symptoms several times a week. Exacerbations disrupt the child's activity and sleep. Expiration rate of 80% or more. The prognosis is favorable.
Medium persistent. Day symptoms daily, night attacks several times a week. On peak flowmetry 60-80% of the norm. Disability 3 groups, in the presence of severe concomitant diseases. The forecast is doubtful.
Severe persistent. Psychosomatics are often involved. Attacks every night, day symptoms daily. Sleep and activity of the child are significantly disturbed. Exhalation rate is less than 60% of normal. The prognosis is unfavorable. With such severity, disability of 2-3 groups is given.

Classification allows you to change the severity when the child's condition changes.

First aid

The child must first be calmed down. Psychosomatics plays important role in the development of an attack.

Remove tight clothing, open admission window fresh air indoors (avoid cold).
Give the child an inhaler or nebulizer, you can supplement it with an aminophylline tablet.
It is advisable to make a warm bath for hands and feet.

If these measures do not stop the attack within half an hour, call ambulance. Further waiting may lead to respiratory arrest!

Treatment

Treatment depends on the form, cause and extent of the disease. Hospitalization is required for severe exacerbations and if serious complications – asthmatic status, . In other cases, the child is treated at home, under the supervision of parents.

Prevention is based on the removal of the allergen from the environment of the child. To do this, daily wet cleaning is carried out, an impenetrable cover can be put on the mattress - this alleviates the condition of the child if he has an allergic form.

Preparations

Apply inhalation forms of drugs. Most of them contain glucocorticoids in combination with a beta-agonist. This combination gives a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect and makes breathing easier. Children can use the inhaler from the age of five. Prior to this, drugs are administered through a nebulizer or spacer.

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Inhalers are prescribed by a doctor. It is possible to use them only in the event of an attack or on permanent basis. To stop the signs of an attack, salbutamol is most often used.

Antiallergic drugs zafirlukast, montelukast, sodium cromoglycate are prescribed in the form of tablets. Used as prevention and treatment of exacerbations. Sometimes assigned to permanent reception if the effect of inhalation is insufficient.

There are benefits for drugs if a disability is registered.

Folk remedies

Can be used as helper method or prevention. Treatment is carried out using infusions of herbs, ginger, propolis preparations. The most effective of the herbs Breast fee", licorice root, chamomile decoction.

Be sure to read:

Treatment folk methods contraindicated in the presence of an allergy to the components of the product - this can cause a very severe asthma attack, serious exacerbation and subsequent disability.

Aggravation

Cases of exacerbation often occur in children during acute respiratory infections. Pathogenesis - increased inflammation in the airways. If the etiology is plant pollen, then atopic asthma is exacerbated during their flowering. The classification of exacerbations takes into account many factors. Exacerbation symptoms:

feeding problems due to shortness of breath;
the child is less active, prefers to sit or lie down;
in severe exacerbation, he speaks only in separate words;
the baby is excited;
wheezing becomes louder, breathing is frequent and shallow.

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The pathogenesis of periods of exacerbation requires an increase in the dose of drugs. Prevention of exacerbations includes vaccination against influenza, pneumococcus and Haemophilus influenzae. Severe exacerbations- a reason to apply for disability and benefits.

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation of children with bronchial asthma includes physiotherapy exercises, hardening, draining massage. It is carried out when there is no clinic. Significantly improves the prognosis, prevents complications.

Sanatoriums

Clean air, mineral waters, wellness procedures, climate - effective prevention exacerbations in the diagnosis of bronchial asthma in children. Benefits for obtaining a ticket are possible if a disability is issued. Be sure to heal before traveling. acute diseases and chronic complications.

unfavorable environmental conditions and bad habits parents (in particular, smoking) both during the period of gestation and after the birth of a baby, directly contribute to an increase in the number of asthma patients.

In fact real reasons occurrence of bronchial asthma in children is not fully understood. Medicine identifies several factors that increase the risk of developing the disease:

genetic predisposition. At risk are children whose parents or relatives are asthmatics;
gender identity. The lumen of the bronchial canals in boys is narrower, so most cases of the disease have been registered in them;
excess weight, due to which the diaphragm has a higher position in thoracic region and prevents free full breathing;
atopic dermatitis or other allergic diseases of the newborn can provoke the development of asthma;
frequent respiratory diseases flowing with a complication in the bronchi (this dependence was found in 25% of children);
parents smoking;
unsatisfactory environmental situation.

Non-allergic and allergic bronchial asthma

Depending on the factor causing spasm bronchi, asthma is divided into atopic and non-allergic.

The vast majority of children (up to 90%) diagnosed with bronchial asthma have exactly the atopic form. Allergic asthma involves the presence of a certain substance (allergen) that provokes an attack. These are the various particles that enter by inhalation:

plant pollen and dust;
hair of cats (less often - dogs);
perfumery, household chemicals and her fragrances;
waste products of insects;
various types of fungus and mold.

Asthma attacks can be triggered by certain foods, such as protein, chocolate, citrus fruits. But in this case, cross-allergic reactions take place. All allergens have a similar structural structure, so a person with an allergy to birch pollen may develop bronchial spasm after eating apples.

Non-allergic bronchial asthma in children under 3 years of age and older is very rare. In most cases, it develops against the background of concomitant diseases. respiratory tract and without the participation of any "irritants" allergic nature.

The reasons for its appearance include:

chronic infectious diseases upper respiratory tract (sinusitis, sinusitis and others);
change hormonal balance in women (premenstrual period, menopause);
loads of a physical and neuropsychic nature;
taking medications;
congenital pathologies (altered bronchial reactivity).

Bronchial asthma in children

Diagnosis of bronchial asthma in children is somewhat difficult (especially under the age of 3 years), since its symptoms are similar to those of colds or viral diseases(swelling of the mucous membrane, in some cases there is copious excretion sputum). This is due to the peculiarities of the structure of the bronchi in early age. In addition, small children still cannot clearly explain their condition.

However, there are some features asthma in a child

it does not involve an increase in temperature, even in the case of a very frequent cough;
before the onset characteristic symptoms there are so-called precursors.

These two differences will help attentive parents think about the possibility of a more serious illness than a cold.

AT medical practice there is a certain set of methods of analysis and techniques to determine the presence of the disease. Diagnosis of bronchial asthma in children includes the following set of measures:

collection of information for anamnesis (all the details of the child's life, the identification of respiratory diseases in parents and relatives, how an asthmatic attack occurs);
conducting a blood test for an allergen and identifying a compound or group of substances that provoke bronchial spasm. Less preferred analysis - skin test: solutions of the proposed allergens are applied to the forearm. If there is a reaction to the "irritant", then the skin at the point of contact turns red. This method is not used on the day of an asthmatic attack, as it can provoke a worsening of the condition;
measurement of lung volume or spirometry. According to the obtained values assess the severity of asthma.

Symptoms of bronchial asthma in children and its precursors

Childhood asthma is characterized by mild early symptoms or precursors. As a rule, they appear a day or two before the symptoms of the disease themselves. Forerunners include:

discharge of watery mucus from the nasal passages after a night's sleep, the child often sneezes and rubs his nose;
the occurrence of a weak dry cough after a few hours;
increased cough after a nap or in the afternoon with sputum production, and in some cases a very large amount.

(up to 3 years of age or more) are more pronounced than the precursors:

paroxysmal cough (occurring before or after sleep), the intensity of which may decrease in an upright position;
the appearance of intermittent wheezing, shortness of breath, frequent and short breaths;
dry cough that does not go away for a long time;
inability to fully breathe;
before an attack, the baby begins to act up because of the stuffy nose.
paroxysmal cough begins under the same conditions (the presence of an animal nearby, a visit to the library, from a bouquet of flowers);
very rarely skin rash, lacrimation, itching.

Treatment of bronchial asthma in children

Currently, childhood asthma, like asthma in adults, is not amenable to complete cure although there are many effective drugs. With their help, they prevent (stop) the development of bronchial spasm, remove the allergen from the body and relieve inflammation.

Bronchial asthma in a child is not a sentence. Properly selected treatment, modern medications and new therapeutic methods allow the baby to grow and develop normally. In addition, as the child grows older, bronchial spasms are relieved, and in some cases stop completely.

The first step in the treatment of this disease is to remove the allergen from the environment of the patient. Sometimes this is quite enough.

The complex of such measures includes more frequent wet cleaning of the premises, the use of humidifiers and air purifiers. It is advisable to remove carpets, pillows and mattresses made of feathers and down or use special tight covers for bedding with minimal permeability. As an alternative to down filler, synthetic materials are used.

If a positive effect is not achieved, then experts prescribe drug treatment.

Medicines for the treatment of childhood asthma are divided into two groups: basic and symptomatic. The latter are used to relieve spasms of the bronchi and increase the lumen of the channels of the bronchial tree in order to improve air circulation. They are not prophylactic and are used exclusively for emergency care. Available in aerosol form.

Preparations basic therapy On the contrary, they are designed to maintain therapeutic effect, removal of allergens from the body, do not have instant action and apply constantly. They take down and suppress inflammatory processes, reduce the frequency (or completely stop) and intensity of seizures.

Basic drugs for the treatment of bronchial asthma in children take enough long time Therefore, the result is manifested at least in two to three weeks.

To medicines new generation can be attributed glucocorticoids in inhaled form. They have a minimal list side effects on the body, good tolerability and increased efficiency.

Asthma treatment is not limited to medication. Other treatments include:

physical training according to specially designed programs;
different kinds breathing exercises with the use of equipment;
easy hardening program (especially relevant for children 3 years old);
reflexology (acupuncture, massage);
specially designed rooms with any natural substances that have positive effect(salt mines, gala chambers).

AT recent times Allergen-specific immunotherapy is gaining popularity. The essence of this method is the introduction of small doses of the allergen to the patient and the control of emerging bronchospasm. As the body "gets used" the concentration of the "irritant" is increased, thus, the reaction to the allergen becomes less acute.

Studies have shown that 75% of patients who have undergone this kind of therapy do not show signs of the disease for 20 years. In spite of nice results developments in this direction are ongoing.

Treatment of bronchial asthma in children with folk remedies

Treatment of bronchial asthma folk remedies involves supporting the body between attacks, enriching it with natural micro- and macroelements, reducing the frequency of exacerbations or investing in the course of an attack.

There are many recipes traditional medicine not only for adults, but also for children:

Infusion based on coltsfoot. It is used for bronchitis and laryngitis in chronic form, bronchial asthma. Pre-crushed and dried leaves of the coltsfoot (4 teaspoons) are poured with one glass of boiling water, let it brew for one hour. Filter the leaves, drink the liquid residue 50 ml no more than three times a day.

A mixture of lemon juice and horseradish. The use is advisable for diseases of the respiratory tract and sputum thinning. Horseradish is grated, squeezed out the juice (150 g), which is poured into a bottle. Lemon juice is also added there, the mixture is infused for a day. The infusion is stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days and take half a teaspoon before meals for breakfast and dinner.

Hypericum infusion. A tablespoon of dried or chopped St. John's wort is poured with a glass of boiling water (300 ml), insisted for one hour. Take up to 4 times a day before meals. Used as antihistamine up to 40 drops 3-4 times a day.

Children's bronchial asthma and sports

Previously, bronchial asthma was a contraindication to sports. However, properly selected treatment and new generation drugs in no way interfere with physical education.

In particular, exercises aimed at training the respiratory muscles contribute to an easier and shorter course of attacks, prepare the body for hypoxia and develop endurance.

Disability and childhood bronchial asthma

According to domestic regulatory documentation, a child with a diagnosis of bronchial asthma is assigned a disability only if severe course diseases.

If there is a favorable prognosis for a partial restoration of health or a reverse course of the disease, then disability is assigned for 2 years, followed by re-examination.

If there is no positive prognosis, asthma is hormone-dependent and suggests a permanent drug therapy, then disability is established when the child reaches the age of 16 years.

The main task of the rehabilitation system is not only to solve problems with medical supervision, but also the socio-psychological adaptation of the patient in terms of solving social problems of a different nature.

Dr. Komarovsky about bronchial asthma in children

The famous pediatrician, whose books have been recognized by millions of parents, talks in an accessible video about how asthma manifests itself in children under 3 years of age and older, about new approaches to understanding it, early symptoms and treatment, how mothers and fathers of a baby with this diagnosis should behave.

Ogulov about the problem of the lungs

Good day my readers. How are your little ones? Don't cough? That's great! After all, the most common cough can ruin life, and, in the truest sense of the word, if it is a harbinger of a dangerous and serious illness - bronchial asthma. You are unlikely to be able to “calculate” it right away, so today I decided to help you.

Any illness for children carries at times more danger than for adults. Launched asthma, which, moreover, is not treated, can simply “suffocate” the baby. I think there are mothers among us whose babies suffer from this disease, and today they will help me tell the rest what are the signs of bronchial asthma in a child.

This is not SARS

According to statistics, there are only 5-12% of asthmatic children. Now, of course, you breathed a sigh of relief and thought: “Well, we won’t fall into this percentage.” Breathe early. The fact is that only recorded cases are taken into account here. Very often, mothers confuse asthma with SARS or bronchitis, and often doctors themselves misdiagnose the disease. Let's figure out how to recognize a suffocating serious illness from the very first symptoms.

I must say that children from 3 years of age suffer from bronchial asthma more often, but the disease can cause its first visit even in infancy, that is, up to a year. Its appearance is associated with an extremely small volume lung tissue in babies and a narrow lumen of the bronchi. This leads to pronounced edema, a large number excreted mucus. Bronchial patency is seriously impaired.

Hence the impossibility to get rid of the "content", difficulty breathing and wheezing. Dear mothers, you must be wary if the baby is often tormented by a cough. It seems that they have just recovered, and he is right there again. The worst cough can continue every night, preventing the baby from falling asleep. This is how the cough form of asthma, which we are talking about today, can manifest itself.

Cough until blue in the face

Let's look at what other symptoms accompany it:

At the age of 6 months or a little more, the crumbs begin to have problems with feeding. He can worry, refuse the breast, starting to suck, immediately releases the nipple from his mouth.
The first signs in older children: irritability, agitation, bad dream and appetite. The kid sometimes looks frightened, speaks in a whisper.
Early in the morning or at night, asthma manifests itself in all its "glory" - in the form of an attack. Why at this particular time of day? So they still sleep! Including the muscles responsible for breathing, the crumbs are in "sleep mode". Hormones that could help the bronchi expand are also lowered, but the substances that narrow them, on the contrary, are too active at night. A typical seizure makes itself felt liquid secretions from the nose. The child starts scratching it, sneezing, and a little later the cough itself begins. In the afternoon, it intensifies, gradually turning into a productive (wet). At night the cough is especially painful and exhausting. Its apogee may be vomiting with viscous sputum coming out with it.
Shortness of breath is a constant companion of an attack. The baby often breathes, and the breath is lengthened, difficult, and whistling and wheezing in the chest can be heard even at a distance. The gaps between the ribs, the sections of the neck above the sternum are retracted, excessively strained. Perhaps blue nasolabial triangle and fingertips. When the baby feels an impending attack, he refuses to go to bed. He will take a sitting position, reclining, whatever, as long as it is easier to breathe.
Temperature (from subfebrile to high). It is she who often allows doctors and mothers themselves to make the wrong diagnosis: SARS, influenza, pneumonia.
Night cough ends on its own, as soon as all the sputum that has accumulated by that time leaves. After such a night, the child is usually lethargic and sleepy.

Listen to the breath

If you suspect that your baby has asthma, measuring the respiratory rate will help to verify or refute this. You can do this yourself by placing your hand on the child's back or chest. Hold this for 15 seconds and count. Then multiply by 4 to get the number respiratory movements per minute.

Norm for kids of different ages:

Newborns - 40-60

A month or two - 35-48

6 months - 1 year - 35-40

From a year to 2 years - 28-35

4-5 years - 24-26

6-9 years old - 21-23

10-12 years - 18-20

13 years and older - 16-18

First aid and how not to harm

And now remember what you can and what you should never do at home with bronchial asthma:

- try to stop mild to moderate attacks (shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, without cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle). Moreover, these signs appear not at rest, but during active games, strong laughter, crying. First of all, you should calm the child, ensure free access of air to the room, remove tight clothes. Keep at home mineral water from a pharmacy, in case of shortness of breath, drink crumbs in small sips. At rapid breathing the body loses a lot of moisture and dehydration can occur.

If you have already been diagnosed, then there is probably a mini inhaler to help you breathe easier with asthma. As instructed by the doctor, let the child breathe as prescribed for you. medicinal solution, but do not overdo it so that an overdose does not happen.

If you have asthma of an allergic nature, then contact with the irritant should be excluded.

When the situation gets out of control, the cough does not stop and it seems that it is about to suffocate the baby, do not hesitate and call "03"!

You can not with an attack of bronchial asthma:

- put mustard plasters and smear the baby's breast with warming ointments

- do foot baths with mustard or just hot water

- to give herbal decoctions and honey.

All this can not only increase the attack, but also provoke a new one, no less strong! And remember, when the onset of a choking cough is a sign that the disease has already gone quite far. You must take action even before it appears, that is, at the stage of shortness of breath. Ventilate the room more often, walk in the fresh air, do wet cleaning at home, remove all kinds of allergens that can worsen the child's condition.

Yes, if your diagnosis has already been confirmed, there is nothing to rejoice here, you will always have to be on the alert and have drugs on hand to alleviate the symptoms of the disease. But some people have it worse. We are mothers, people are extremely persistent, versatile. As they say, where ours did not disappear. If only the children were well, if only they enjoyed life, despite all the sores and hardships. Unless some asthma can prevent it or this?

Dr. Komarovsky, known to all of us, assures that over time, this disease in children goes away on its own. By the way, I recommend watching a video with the pediatrician's reasoning about our topic today. You will learn a lot of useful things for yourself, and then write your own reviews. Moms of asthmatic babies, join the discussion, we are interested to hear how you cope with a malignant disease. Until new publications, dear ones, we will soon discuss many more new interesting topics!

Sholokhova Olga Nikolaevna

Reading time: 9 minutes

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Symptoms, causes and methods of treatment of bronchial asthma in children

It is especially dangerous in children, as it can cause bronchial obstruction due to sharp increase mucus in bronchial tree. Asthma can develop in a child at any age, even in infancy.

Why does a child develop asthma?

A chronic disease characterized by inflammation of the bronchi and mucus secretion occurs for several reasons. Children are most susceptible to manifestations of the disease, as their respiratory system still weak, perceives all stimuli sharply and reacts intensively to them. The causes of the disease are:

Important: In the first month after childbirth Great chance the fact that the disease develops due to the mother's smoking during the period of bearing the baby. Also the reason is her eating foods, causing allergies, infectious diseases during pregnancy.

Pathologies gastrointestinal tract only exacerbate the course of bronchial asthma. Symptoms and treatment in this case will differ from mild degree diseases. When the intestines are damaged by toxins, the bacteria are absorbed into the blood, this worsens the condition of the already weak bronchi.

Asthma periods

The disease in children, depending on age, causes and severity, proceeds differently: the symptoms of bronchial asthma change, the rate of relief of an attack and further treatment. The manifestations of the disease are divided into three periods.

Remission time

The state in which little patient almost nothing worries: there is no obvious cough, wheezing, suffocation. The remission stage is a break between attacks. When the disease manifests itself at an early age, it is severe, the brain does not receive the necessary nutrition. As a result, the child's brain also does not perform all the functions. The baby begins to cry over trifles, mood swings are observed, some mental processes slightly behind in development. Remission manifests itself in different ways: some children lead a familiar lifestyle, others find it difficult to play outdoor games, others cannot perform their usual activities without medication.

Aggravation

Develops in short time, this is the time at which bronchospasms occur. According to the nature of the course of the disease during the period of exacerbation, the attending physician makes a conclusion about the severity of the disease.

Characteristics of an attack

This is a condition in which the main symptoms of the disease appear. It is very important for parents to recognize the onset of an attack in time and stop it as quickly as possible. To do this, you need to be sensitive to the child's complaints about breathing problems, listen to his speech and breathing during sleep. After all, attacks of bronchial asthma in a child often occur suddenly at night. Therefore, before sleep, you need to analyze his breathing:

Symptoms of asthma in children

It is important for parents to know how bronchial asthma manifests itself in order to help the child in time and prevent his condition from worsening. Signs of bronchial asthma in children are:

wheezing;
dry frequent cough, especially at night;
feeling of heaviness in chest, aggravated after physical exertion;
coughing, wheezing when breathing after communicating with animals that have hair;
dry cough, difficulty inhaling and exhaling after taking medication;
feeling of congestion in the chest, something interferes;
the child is short of breath when inhaling;
feeling that the little patient cannot exhale air in any way, the exhalation is delayed and is accompanied by whistling and wheezing;
the child is looking for the optimal position for comfortable inhalation and exhalation.

Important: With a rapid deterioration in the child's well-being, parents should immediately call an ambulance medical care. This can also occur with improper use of bronchodilator drugs. Frequent and incorrect use of inhalers leads to an increase in the intensity of asthma symptoms in children.

Forms of the disease

How to treat bronchial asthma in children depends on the form of the disease. In total, 3 forms of the disease are known to medicine:

Treatment of asthma in children

To stop an attack and prevent its recurrence, it is necessary to use all effective methods. These include not only drugs, but also diet, provision necessary conditions a small patient and a change in lifestyle.

Medical treatment

When bronchial asthma begins to manifest, it always causes panic in parents, since the symptoms are especially pronounced in young children. Therefore, every parent of a child at risk should know which medications can immediately relieve an attack, and which ones should be stocked up on long period treatment of a child with bronchial asthma. Treatment should only take place under the supervision of a doctor, as young children are difficult to tolerate the disease, and often they require immediate hormone therapy. Hormonal drugs, used randomly and without strict dosage, can negatively affect the further growth and development of the baby.

There is a symptomatic and basic drug treatment, bronchial asthma is difficult to select necessary drugs and long-term therapy with periods of exacerbation and remission.

Symptomatic therapy

These are drugs aimed at helping with an asthma attack, which quickly expand the bronchi, allowing the child to breathe. These are drugs such as Ventolin, Salbutamol, Berotek. If a the immune system the baby is too weak, and the disease is severe, corticosteroid drugs (based on hormones) are used.

Aerosol medications are often used. But you also need to be careful with them: small children cannot inhale the drug in time, they can cough even more from them, active substance in this case, it reaches the bronchi not in full, but about 20%. Are used symptomatic drugs also with a nebulizer. They belong to inhalation agents and help to quickly relieve spasm.

Optimal administration methods medicinal substances into the body of a child are spacer, cyclohaler, turbuhaler, system " easy breath". These are special chambers into which the medicine enters, and then it enters the human respiratory tract. With the help of these devices, the active substance of the preparations (aerosols, powders) is better absorbed and enters the bronchi in a larger volume. There is no danger that the child will cough from a sudden intake of medicine, since these chambers allow the medicine to be injected at a slower rate.

Symptomatic drugs are not able to cure children, they only help to short span time, and after the end of their action in a small patient, an asthmatic attack may again occur.

Basic therapy

Such treatment of bronchial asthma in children involves the use of several types of substances, depending on the severity of the disease and individual features baby. The following drugs are used:

Basic therapy has been used for a long time. Only a doctor can reduce or increase the dose, and this is done strictly under his control so as not to worsen the patient's condition. If there were no attacks within six months, a slight decrease in the dosage of the base drug is possible. Two years after the last attack, the doctor has the right to stop taking the drug until new manifestations of the disease occur.

Often, in addition to these drugs, immunomodulatory agents are prescribed to increase the body's resistance.

Non-drug treatments

These include:

physiotherapy;
diet;
physiotherapy;
phytotherapy;
visiting medical sanatoriums, resorts.

There are several methods therapeutic gymnastics with bronchial asthma. They are combined with diet, physiotherapy. In sanatoriums, the diet, procedures and regimen for children are correctly selected.

You should carefully monitor the child's diet to prevent allergens from entering the body. To do this, you need to refrain from fruits and vegetables of red color (tomatoes, strawberries, etc.), fish, fatty species meat, cottage cheese, yogurt and other dairy products with the addition of preservatives, chocolate, honey.

Particular attention should be paid to the prevention of the disease and early complaints of children, so as not to start the disease. It is also important to strengthen the immune system.

Bronchial asthma - parents have to hear such a diagnosis quite often, since the disease is very common and in most cases begins precisely in childhood. Asthma refers to chronic diseases respiratory tract, it is accompanied by bouts of shortness of breath, sometimes even suffocation. According to statistics, every tenth child suffers from this disease.

There are many reasons that cause bronchial asthma, which determines the presence of several varieties of the disease. Children most often suffer from an allergic form of the disease, in which the body reacts to contact with an allergen (pollen, dust, pet hair, in young children it can even provoke a reaction food allergen), after which there is a narrowing of the bronchial lumen. Reasons such as chronic infection or strenuous exercise are more likely to cause disease in adults than in children.

Modern medicine offers a lot of means to combat the manifestations of the disease, today such a diagnosis does not sound so frightening. Appropriate treatment and adherence preventive measures allow the child to lead a normal life. In addition, with age, the symptoms often become less pronounced, and sometimes disappear altogether.

How to recognize asthma in a child?

The first and most important symptom of asthma in a child is breathing problems. Asthma usually manifests itself from the age of five, but sometimes symptoms of the disease can appear even earlier. The following events may take place:

frequent dry ;
occasional episodes of difficulty breathing;
recurring from time to time feeling of squeezing the chest;
rales of a whistling type are clearly audible.

Photo gallery: the main symptoms of bronchial asthma

Such manifestations usually appear or are significantly intensified at night, due to physical activity, emotional stress, temperature changes environment or by contact with animals, plants, cigarette smoke, etc. (when allergic type asthma). Cough with asthma is specific - sputum is not separated, an increase in body temperature is not observed.

Bronchial asthma may be accompanied by such additional symptoms:

the chest is swollen;
exhalation becomes longer;
often asthma is accompanied by rhinitis or a rash (with an allergic form);
there are "allergic shadows" - dark areas under the eyes.

A child with asthma feels constant weakness, it is difficult for him to play with his peers for a long time, the feeling of fatigue comes extremely quickly.

Doctor's note: bronchial asthma is quite specific disease symptoms may vary from child to child. So, they can be present all without exception, or the child will complain about only one of them. In addition, the intensity and set of manifestations of the disease can change in one patient at different times.

Recognizing asthma in children under 5 years of age is somewhat more difficult, since the main symptoms of the disease take on a different character. Due to the fact that up to the age of five, the human bronchi have a narrower lumen, and the muscular apparatus is not sufficiently developed, instead of a typical bronchospasm and an asthma attack, the child begins to edema of the mucous membrane in the bronchi and the formation of sputum in large volumes. Often, even doctors in such a situation do not immediately diagnose bronchial asthma, attributing the symptoms to manifestations of an acute respiratory disease.

It is worth noting that bronchial asthma can occur in three forms, which can be distinguished by the frequency of symptoms:

at mild form attacks do not last long, manifestations of the disease are observed no more than once a month, while nocturnal symptoms in most cases are completely absent;
asthma moderate diagnosed when symptoms appear once a week, nocturnal manifestations - several times a week;
a severe form of the disease entails long and severe attacks, frequent manifestation of symptoms (up to several times a week).

Symptoms of an asthmatic attack

Bronchial asthma occurs with the presence of periodic attacks. An attack is a contraction of the muscle tissues located around the respiratory tract, with simultaneous swelling of the tracts themselves and active production thick mucus. All these phenomena lead to a significant exacerbation of the symptoms of the disease, namely cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing.

Blue lips from suffocation - a sign of an asthmatic attack

An attack can be recognized by the following symptoms:

breathing becomes loud, a whistle appears;
a feeling of tightness in the chest can be replaced by pain;
the face turns pale, sweating increases;
difficulty pronouncing words;
the muscles in the neck tighten;
spasm can lead to suffocation, due to lack of air, the tips of the fingers and lips turn blue.

Doctor's opinion: bronchial asthma attacks occur with different intensity, the child may not feel any manifestations until the next attack, or may feel the presence of asthma all the time. In the allergic form of the disease, attacks are provoked by contact with the allergen.

If parents notice that the child is having an attack, then the following actions should be taken immediately: seat the baby on a chair, tilt it forward a little, ensure fresh air is supplied to the room and use the inhaler in accordance with the instructions. It is important to behave calmly, not to frighten the child - this can only aggravate the condition.

Inhaler use is very important aspect!

Important! If you do not use the inhaler in time, then the lumen of the bronchi will become very narrow and the whistling during breathing will disappear. Many interpret this as an improvement in the state, but in fact it is not - it is danger sign, the child in this condition needs urgent hospitalization.

Do I need to see a doctor?

Diagnosing childhood bronchial asthma is a more difficult task than diagnosing an adult. The thing is that when respiratory discomfort is moderate, then parents may not notice it, but Small child sometimes unable to explain the reasons for their feeling unwell. It is impossible to independently establish a diagnosis and, on its basis, use folk or medications- it can cause great harm to health. The symptoms of this disease are not specific, difficulty breathing may indicate other diseases, for example,