1.Prevention
(1) Avoid contact with allergens, such as pollen, application of aspirin drugs and consumption of food containing additives; avoid various triggering factors, such as passive smoking, paint smell, drinking cold drinks, etc.
(2) Pay attention to the prevention of respiratory tract infections, especially respiratory syncytial virus infection and pediatric asthma are closely related. Actively treat and remove infectious lesions, such as timely treatment of sinusitis, nasal polyps, tonsillitis, dental caries, etc.
(3) Avoid overwork, rain, strenuous exercise and mental and emotional stimulation.
(4) Pay attention to climate change, do a good job to prevent cold and keep warm, and prevent cold when going out in winter.
(5) Prevent the recurrence of asthma with medication, such as positive allergen infusion, sodium cromoglycate, ketotifol, inhaled maintenance glucocorticoids and traditional Chinese medicine.
(6) Enhance physical fitness. During the remission period of asthma, children should be encouraged to participate in appropriate activities, such as children’s gymnastics, walking and literary activities, etc.
(7) Strengthen self-management education, teach prevention and control knowledge to children and their families, mobilize their enthusiasm to fight against the disease, and implement standardized management of asthmatic children.
2.Adjustment of care
(1) The room should have good air circulation, appropriate humidity and sufficient sunlight. It should be kept warm in winter and cool and ventilated in summer.
(2) Diet should be light and nutritious, avoid eating cold, greasy, spicy, sweet and sour food and seafood such as fish and shrimp.
(3) Pay attention to breathing and pulse changes to prevent continuous asthma attacks.
(4) Psychological care is very important during asthma attacks, because asthma is a cardioactive disease and nervous system excitement is related to asthma attacks. It is important to care for and comfort the sick child to reduce psychological stress and fear in order to increase confidence in overcoming the disease.
How to reduce asthma attacks at night
Generally speaking, asthma attacks tend to occur at night. Asthma patients should understand the factors related to asthma attacks at night in order to facilitate the treatment of asthma. Medical research shows that there are several mechanisms of asthma attacks at night.
(1) Allergen factors: Patients’ exposure to allergens is the main cause of asthma, but asthma does not occur immediately after exposure to allergens, and asthma attacks usually start only after 6-8 hours of exposure. Therefore, less exposure to chemicals during the day can reduce asthma attacks at night.
(2) Physiological rhythm factors: lung function is relatively strong during the day and relatively weak at night, and the anti-allergic ability is obviously reduced, resulting in asthma attacks easily at night. Taking long-acting anti-allergy drugs before bedtime can prevent asthma attacks at night.
(3) Factor of body temperature change: Body temperature can drop by one degree Celsius during sleep. A 0.7 degree Celsius drop in body temperature can cause bronchoconstriction, which can trigger an asthma attack, while sleeping in a warm environment can significantly reduce nighttime asthma attacks.
(4) Sleep position factor: The respiratory resistance of the trachea increases significantly when sleeping in the supine position, which can easily lead to apnea and bronchospasm due to lack of oxygen, resulting in asthma attacks. Side lying position can prevent or reduce asthma attacks.
(5) Gastroesophageal reflux factor: At night, during sleep, because of the position, food or gastric juice from the stomach may reflux into the esophagus, which in turn may be inhaled into the trachea due to respiration, causing bronchial spasm. Ninety percent of asthma patients with adult-onset asthma have gastroesophageal reflux symptoms, and these patients need treatment for “stomach problems” to relieve asthma.
(6) Inflammatory factors: Most asthma patients have sinusitis or bronchitis. The increased secretion from sinusitis at night and the heavier inflammatory response in the airways are also causes of asthma attacks. The use of antibacterial drugs to treat sinusitis and bronchitis is one of the important measures to prevent asthma.
(7) Dry air factor: Generally speaking, the air is drier at night than during the day, and dry air can induce bronchospasm and make asthma attacks. Increasing indoor humidity or drinking a glass of plain water before going to sleep has the effect of preventing asthma attacks at night.