The factors affecting the development of asthma in children are diverse, the most relevant being changes in the living environment, increased allergen exposure and genetic susceptibility. However, genetics is by no means the only cause of asthma and cannot explain the marked increase in asthma prevalence in recent years. If we compare “genetics” as the basis for the development of asthma, then environmental issues are the “catalyst”. With the industrialization of society, the global air, water and soil pollution are becoming more and more serious, and there are more and more chemicals in food and daily necessities, which are extremely unfavorable for asthma-prone children and can easily cause airway hyperresponsiveness and eventually the development of asthma in children.
We can reduce acute asthma attacks in children through reasonable and necessary avoidance measures and medication to achieve the goal of preventing and controlling asthma, greatly improving the quality of life of children and their families, and significantly reducing social medical expenses.
Asthma management steps
The Asthma Management Steps are designed to help you understand how to effectively manage your asthma and to serve as a guide when discussing it with your doctor.
Step 1: Diagnosis
Tell your child’s doctor about the symptoms of breathing difficulties
When your doctor thinks your child has asthma, get tested for it
Learn about asthma, such as what it is and how to manage it
Step 2: Triggers
Identify factors that make asthma worse by keeping a diary and checking for allergens
Once you have learned what allergic and non-allergic factors trigger your asthma, learn how to avoid them
Step 3: Medications
Your doctor will prescribe medications to control your child’s asthma
Learn what the medications are for and how to use them appropriately
Learn how to control your asthma with a written asthma management plan
Step 4: Ongoing control
Even if your child is feeling well, discuss your child’s asthma with your doctor every 1-3 months
Keep an asthma diary
Check your child’s use of inhalers
Have annual pulmonary function tests to determine if asthma is well controlled
Tell a health care provider other than your child’s asthma doctor that your child has asthma
Step 5: Asthma education
Ask your doctor as many questions as possible, learn as much as you can about asthma, and get more information by actively participating in asthma education events or on the China Asthma Alliance website (www.chinaasthma.net)
The goal of asthma treatment is to “achieve and maintain clinical control of asthma” including
l. No (or ≤2/week) daytime symptoms
2. No daily activities, including exercise limitation
3. No nocturnal symptoms or awakening due to asthma
4. No (or ≤2/week) need for palliative medication
5.Lung function is normal or near normal
6.No acute exacerbation of asthma
Frequently Asked Questions
What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract. The inflammation referred to here is a “metabolic inflammation”, which is tissue damage caused by the body’s immune response.
Swelling and inflammation are a major part of the problem, but not the whole story. As the swelling of the airways increases, the lining of the airways becomes very sensitive and the tiny muscles surrounding the airways begin to tighten. This is called “bronchospasm”.
Symptoms of asthma include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, and difficulty breathing, most often at night and/or in the early morning. Asthma attacks are most common in spring and fall and in changing climates. They can be recurrent and can be triggered by environmental factors, exercise, and upper respiratory infections.
The majority of first wheezing episodes in children occur before the age of 3 years, and more than 3 episodes are considered to be typical asthma. Some children with “cough variant asthma” only have a chronic cough without typical wheezing.
What are the causes of asthma?
Family and personal history
You are more likely to develop asthma if your parents or close relatives have allergic diseases/asthma
Your risk of developing asthma is also increased if you have
1) allergic rhinitis
2) allergic skin diseases such as eczema
Triggers
Allergic triggers: dust mites, food, mold, pollen, animal dander, etc.
Non-allergic triggers: exercise, viral infections, cold air, smoke, air pollution, second-hand smoke (i.e. being in a smoking environment), aspirin and other drugs
What are the signs and symptoms of allergy in babies?
Cough, runny nose and sneezing in the morning when you wake up
2.Habitual action of rubbing eyes and nose
3.Have milk fungus or eczema as a child
4.Parents or siblings suffer from allergic asthma or rhinitis
5.A rash will appear once you eat seafood
6.Easy to red eyes and runny nose in spring
7, often itchy body unbearable
8. Suffered from hives
Are inhaled glucocorticosteroids safe for children?
Regarding the long-term safety implications of using inhaled glucocorticosteroids in children, the available studies indicate that this medication is safe. Because of the low levels of inhaled hormones, most physicians recommend them for children with asthma because the benefits of long-term asthma control outweigh the risks of using inhaled glucocorticosteroids.
Inhaled medications act directly on the airways to eliminate inflammation in the airways and do not cause systemic side effects.
Inhaled glucocorticosteroids are a more effective and safe treatment option for asthma.
Can children with asthma participate in sports?
Because exercise may trigger an asthma attack, children are reluctant to participate in sports for fear of asthma attacks, and parents are wrong to prevent their children from seeing sports for fear of injury.
It is true that exercise may cause an asthma attack, but proper exercise can improve his lung function and make the airway more tolerable, which in turn reduces the likelihood of an asthma attack.
In fact, children with asthma can also participate in sports as long as they are prepared for the following
Your child can participate in moderate sports if he or she is on regular asthma control medication for a long time to achieve and maintain asthma control.
Consult your doctor about the need for medication and warm up before exercise.
Allow the body to cool down slowly after exercise, rather than quickly.
In winter, during pollen season and when the air is polluted, it is better to exercise indoors.
When you have a cold, take rest and limit exercise appropriately.
How to control the home environment for children with asthma?
Open windows frequently for ventilation.
Keep the home environment clean and vacuum frequently to remove dust mites and molds.
Do not keep pets at home.
Do not smoke in the room.
Use fragrance-free soaps and deodorants, no perfumes, hair and body sprays.
Replace carpet with wood or tile floors, as carpet is a good breeding ground for dust mites and mold.
Clean his stuffed animals often, the proper way is to freeze them for 24 hours and then wash them in cold water.
Use a wet mop or rag when cleaning the room to avoid raising dust as much as possible.
It is best not to use cloth furniture, but to use furniture with wipable surfaces instead.
Also do not use fabric curtains, you can use blinds that open up and down.
Take anything with a strong smell out of the room.
Cover mattresses and pillows with dust mite covers with zippers.
Do not use pillow or mattress cores made of buckwheat.
Wash all bedding weekly in hot water at 60°C and put them in the sun to dry after washing.
Monitor indoor humidity with a hygrometer to keep it below 50%, as too much humidity is likely to aggravate asthma.
What should children with asthma look for in their diet?
If a certain food is found by serological allergen testing or skin prick test to really trigger the onset of bronchial asthma in patients, it should be avoided, e.g. mangoes should be banned in some children who are allergic to mangoes.
Allergic individuals are advised to eat less heterogeneous protein foods and increase plant-based soy protein, such as beans and soy products, as appropriate.
Diet should be light, less stimulating, not too full, too salty, too sweet, avoid raw, cold, spicy and other stimulating foods.
The diet should ensure the adequacy and balance of various nutrients, especially antioxidant nutrients such as β-carotene, vitamin C, E and trace elements of selenium. β-carotene, vitamin C, E are abundant in fresh vegetables and fruits, and trace elements of selenium are abundant in kelp, jellyfish and garlic.
Eating edible mushrooms regularly can regulate immune function, such as shiitake mushroom and mushroom containing mushroom polysaccharide and mushroom polysaccharide, which can enhance human resistance and reduce the attack of bronchial asthma.
It is also important to prevent respiratory tract infections and regulate immune function. Attention should be paid to seasonal warmth and infants should be breastfed, which contains secretory immune protein (SIgA) antibodies that can increase respiratory resistance.
Daily guidance for children with asthma ——- Dust mite allergy
I. What is dust mite?
Dust mite is an 8-legged creature that belongs to the same family as spiders and is between 0.1 and 0.3 mm in size. It is divided into house dust mite, dust mite, tropical mite and many other species.
Where do dust mites grow?
Dust mites like to live in a dark, warm and humid environment. The relative humidity of 75% and temperature of 25 ℃ are the best conditions for dust mites to survive, therefore, late summer and early autumn is the high season for dust mites to cause asthma. In the home, mattresses, pillows and bedding are the most concentrated places for dust mites to grow. Other places where dust mites grow are carpets, padded furniture such as upholstered sofas, stuffed toys, and other places where dust accumulates (e.g., heavy fabric curtains and clothing). Dust mites can grow and breed on plant and animal fibers (wool, feathers, cotton), flour, and moist, warm floors. Most of the houses people live in can meet the temperature and humidity required for mites to live, and with its abundant food (dander and organic microscopic dust shed by people), dust mites can generally be found in all homes.
Third, how to get rid of dust mites in the home?
Bedding Wash bed sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases once a week, using high temperature (above 60 degrees Celsius) as much as possible. Ventilate the bedding frequently, and direct sunlight is best.
Pillows and quilts If you are currently using pillows and quilts made of feathers or down, you may want to consider switching to chemical fibers. Do not use bedding made of natural materials like feathers, as feathers themselves may cause allergies. Bedding made of chemical fibers can also be washed frequently.
Stuffed toys It is ideal not to put stuffed toys in the bedroom. If you do put them in your bedroom, they should be washed in hot water at least once a week at 60 degrees Celsius or higher. Another option is to seal the toys in a plastic bag once a week and put them in the freezer for six hours or more (strong cold can also kill dust mites), then take the toys out and vacuum them to clean up the dead dust mites and their excrement.
If possible, the bed is best not to spring soft bottom, the bottom of the wooden board bed is better. Avoid sleeping on bunk beds or those with bed curtains, as these beds tend to make the accumulated dust and dust mites fall on the people sleeping below.
Upholstery and soft furniture Upholstered headboards, upholstered chairs and other soft furniture provide the best environment for dust mites to live in, so you may want to consider moving these pieces of furniture out of your bedroom. If they are to be placed in the bedroom, be sure to vacuum frequently.
Curtains It is best to use curtains that are simple and easy to wash, preferably once a week, rather than heavy ones that tend to collect dust. Rotating blinds are a good alternative for asthmatic families.
Vacuum often with a powerful vacuum cleaner with a high efficiency filter head, including carpets, mattresses, curtains and any soft furnishings such as padded headboards and rocking chairs.
Carpets If your child is allergic to dust mites, it is best to avoid carpeting anywhere in the house.
Humidity and ventilation The easiest way is to open the windows more often. Open the windows at least twice a day for half an hour each time.
Anti-dust mite covers and pillowcases Most dust mites in the bedroom hide in the mattress and pillows. The easiest way to isolate them is to keep them directly under the covers to keep them and their excrement from escaping. One more costly but much more comfortable method is to use mite proof bedding. These pillowcases, duvet covers, and sheets are made of a microporous material that circulates air but is finely woven so that dust mites and their excretions do not leak out. These anti-mite covers and pillowcases can be used as an insulator between children and dust mites.
Air conditioners During the season when you use air conditioners, it is recommended that you clean the air conditioner filters with running water once a month.
Daily guidance for children with asthma ——- Mold allergy chapter
I. What is mold?
Mold is a type of organism that exists widely in nature. Mold can grow indoors and outdoors, including on plants, food and dead leaves. Mold spores and mycelium are antigenic, but the spores are more antigenic.
Second, where does mold grow in the home?
Mold likes to grow in damp places, and can be found indoors or in basements. In the floor, shower curtain, bathroom and basement walls or bathroom supplies, air conditioning filters, indoor long-shelved food or fruit scraps, when you see black or green spots, it means there is mold growing in these places.
Third, how to avoid contact with mold?
Without a humid environment, mold spores will not grow. So as long as you control the humidity in the room, you can avoid and control the growth of mold. Once there is indoor mold growth, you must remove the mold and solve the problem of humidity. Because if you simply remove the mold, and the indoor environment is still damp, mold will continue to grow.
(i) Bathroom
Bathroom is the area in the home where mold is most likely to gather. It can be treated with bleach solution.
1, use an old toothbrush to brush away the black mold in the bathroom, these mold is often located in the wall seams.
2, do not place carpets in the bathroom, because this is most likely to grow mold.
3, outside the bathroom if you have to use carpet, you can often use a rubber roller dip bleach dilution for treatment, so that the mold spores can be controlled at a low level.
4, the shower curtain is also a part of the mold growth more. If there is mold growth on the shower curtain, bleach should be used for cleaning. But if the shower curtain has grown a larger range of mold spots, it should be discarded and a new vinyl shower curtain containing mold inhibitors should be purchased.
(II) Walls and floors
1.If a large area of mold growth occurs indoors, it can be treated with Bordeaux liquid (mainly containing copper sulfate), diluted and thoroughly sprayed with a large sprayer, including spraying all wood products on the indoor floor.
2, the walls and floors of your home can be used 1-2% zinc fumarate (used as a rubber accelerator and agricultural fungicide) to control mold. Generally, one application of zinc fumarate is enough to control the growth of mold. (Note: Don’t put the formica near the fire don’t put the formica zinc near the fire, when using should pay attention to ventilation, because this kind of drugs are toxic.)
3, walls and ceilings with large mold spots, you can also choose waterproof, good anti-mold emulsion paint to repaint.
(C) life also need to pay attention to the following points.
1, avoid using carpets and upholstery, especially in the basement and other easy to damp and dark places.
2, keep the home dry and regular ventilation.
3, musty carpets and textiles and books to take away.
4.Try not to put potted plants indoors, because mold can also grow in the soil.
5.Ventilate and dehumidify with ventilation fans when bathing and cooking.
6.The garbage cans should be put outside and the kitchen garbage should be emptied every day; clean the garbage cans with bleach regularly, preferably once a week.
7.Dry wet clothes and shoes as soon as possible, do not put wet clothes into the cabinet for storage.
8.Frequently defrost the refrigerator, clean and keep it dry to prevent the growth of mold and mildew. Keep the water container under the refrigerator clean and dry.
9. Use dehumidifier to keep the humidity in your home below 50% to inhibit the growth of mold.
10., the use of air filters and air conditioning families, to regularly run water to clean or replace the filter.
(D) Outdoor
1. Don’t stay in indoor swimming pools, steam bathrooms, laundromats and greenhouse flower rooms where there is a lot of mold.
2.Don’t let children who are allergic to mold clean up dead leaves.
3.Avoid contact with soil, compost, sandboxes and garbage hay and barns, etc.
4.Avoid camping or walking in the forest in the fall and winter when there are a lot of dead leaves.