Parkside News - September 2008
Asthma Education
With fall just around the corner, there will undoubtedly be an increase in the number of children wheezing and coughing. As a parent, many of you might have wondered, "Could this persistent cough mean that my child might have asthma"? Approximately 1 in 7 children do have some degree of asthma which totals more than 4 million kids here in the US. Because asthma is such a very large and complex topic to discuss, we have decided to split it up and discuss it as a 2-part series over the next two newsletters. In this first article we will discuss the symptoms of asthma, the differences between asthma and reactive airway disease, as well as the potential triggers for an asthma exacerbation. In next month's newsletter, we will discuss the classification of asthma severity and the many medications available for the treatment of asthma.
Asthma is a disease of the lungs characterized by:
- Inflammation-Swelling of the airways
- Bronchoconstriction-Narrowing of the airways
The symptoms of asthma include cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest tightness. One of the classic unrecognized symptoms of asthma is night-time coughing. During an asthma flare the air flowing into and out of the lungs may become blocked by tightening muscles, swelling, and excessive mucus. Often times, children can have a chronic low level of inflammation in their lungs that only becomes evident to parents when they come in contact with something in the environment that causes their airways to narrow and swell, causing the symptoms of wheezing and/or coughing. We call these asthma triggers. Asthma triggers may be different for different people. Triggers that can cause asthma attacks include: cold air, respiratory infections, dust mites, smoke, chemical fumes, pollens, pet dander, molds, air pollution, and exercise. Avoidance of asthma triggers is extremely important.
Often times your doctor will use the term "reactive airway disease" interchangeably with "asthma". In younger children (under 3-4 years of age), we often describe them as having "Reactive Airway Disease" whereas in children over 3-4 years of age we often label their symptoms as "Asthma". The symptoms are the same with both (wheezing/coughing/chest tightness, etc.) however the distinction is important, because many children with reactive airway disease will "grow out" of their symptoms as their lungs mature whereas true asthmatics will likely have a much longer course of disease.
In next month's article, we will discuss the classification system that is used to stratify asthma severity as well as the medications that might be prescribed to help control your child's asthma.
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Vaccine Resounces
As pediatricians, we continue have many parents with questions and/or concerns regarding vaccination. Below is a collection of what we consider to be the best and most reliable resources available for parents today. Please take the time to educate yourself about the value and benefit of vaccines.
Parkside Pediatrics' Statement on VaccinesVaccinateYourBaby.orgVacccine Information SheetsCDC on Vaccine SafetyVaccineSafety.eduThimerosol--What You Should Know (PDF)ImmunizationInfo.orgcispimmunize.org10 Vaccine Myths Busted (from Parenting.com)How Safe Are Vaccines--An interesting article from Time Magazine