Asthma in children is a common respiratory disease in pediatrics, and the prevalence is increasing at a worrying rate. Recurrent attacks of the disease not only adversely affect the physical and mental health of children, but also increase the economic burden on families and society.
What factors are at play
Like adult asthma, childhood asthma is a chronic non-specific allergic inflammatory disease of the airways, and its increased prevalence is related to the following factors in addition to allergic constitution of the body.
1, due to the improvement of living conditions, allergic substances in the home is also increasing. Such as the widespread use of home air conditioning, resulting in closed living rooms, and often in a constant temperature and humidity, dust mites are very easy to multiply. Some families also keep various pets such as dogs, cats and pigeons, leading to an increase in the concentration of indoor allergic substances and triggering asthma attacks.
2.With the improvement of sanitary and medical conditions, people have significantly fewer chances to be infected by bacteria and viruses, and the reduction of bacterial infections and the abuse of antibiotics can prompt respiratory allergies in children and induce asthma.
3.Mothers who smoke or passively smoke during pregnancy deliver babies who are prone to have allergic constitution and induce asthma.
4.Long-term exposure to pollution or an environment with irritating odors (such as oil fumes, paint, perfume, etc.) also predisposes to asthma.
(The above chart shows the common triggers of asthma)
Due to different ages, the causes of childhood asthma vary, and can generally be divided into three types: allergic childhood asthma, infantile asthma, and cough variant asthma.
1.Allergic childhood asthma: 80% to 90% is caused by allergy, and its onset has obvious seasonality. For example, in spring or autumn, when indoor dust mites proliferate and the concentration of dust mites in the air increases, asthma attacks increase significantly.
2, infant and child asthma: early mainly caused by respiratory viruses (such as respiratory syncytial virus, etc.) infection. With increasing age, some children’s resistance gradually increases, the chance of viral infection slowly decreases, and asthma will gradually stop; some children, especially those with a family history of asthma and eczema, will also develop allergies as they grow older, and finally become asthma.
3.Cough variant asthma: it is mainly related to atmospheric tract allergy. Some children with mild allergy only show prolonged or repeated coughing, especially obvious at night or early in the morning, generally without asthma attacks, but some children eventually develop asthma as airway allergy expands or strengthens.
There are new ways to prevent and treat asthma
For infants and children with asthma, allergy status should be determined early as an effective method of early allergy prevention. If there is no allergy, the prognosis is good and there is a possibility of self-healing as they get older. Allergen determination should be done in all children with wheezing episodes, especially in children with a family history of asthma, more milk fungus in early childhood, recurrent colds but no fever, and those over 2 years of age, whose allergy is more likely. If an allergic state has developed, the treatment principles are the same as for allergic childhood asthma. When a child with cough variant asthma develops asthma, the treatment principles are also the same as those for allergic childhood asthma. The prevention and treatment of allergic childhood asthma focuses on
1. Reducing the concentration of allergic substances in the environment
It has been confirmed that the formation of an allergy to a substance in a child is related to repeated exposure to a low concentration of an allergen during fetal life and 1-2 years after birth, in addition to genetic factors. Therefore, if you can minimize the concentration of various allergens in the environment during the first two years of life, you can prevent or reduce the formation of allergies in children. If allergy has already formed, try not to contact the allergen again, also can reduce or terminate the asthma attack.
2.Inhaled glucocorticoid
This is currently the most effective and economical treatment method, and is widely used. Especially in the early stage of the disease, long-term use can not only control asthma attacks, but also significantly improve the prognosis of asthma. The principles of inhaled hormone therapy for children are the same as those for adults, but the difference lies in the indications for loading the drug device: children under 4 years of age can use quantitative nebulizer inhalers, which require additional storage tanks to increase the inhalation volume; children between 4 and 5 years of age can use dry powder; children over 9 years of age can use quantitative nebulizer inhalers for adults. The above-mentioned inhalation devices must be used under the guidance of a doctor, so that the child can learn to use them reasonably.
3.Desensitization therapy
Through a specific method, the body is repeatedly injected with a certain allergic substance to make the body tolerant to the substance and achieve the purpose of treatment. Children who have difficulty in completely avoiding allergens (such as dust mites and pollen) can be treated by this method, and the efficacy is clear and the side effects are less, but the treatment time is longer (3 to 4 years). Long-acting desensitization preparations are now available orally or imported from abroad to simplify the treatment process. desensitization therapy can be used for children with asthma who are over 6 years old and can have their allergens detected. Doctors will use it alone or in combination with inhaled glucocorticosteroids depending on the child’s condition.
4.Dr. Fei APP – a tool for asthma management throughout the course of the disease
Dr. Fei APP is an efficient and practical asthma management system created by the professional medical management team of “Dr. Fei”. Dr. Fei APP, together with many respiratory experts, has interpreted the white paper “Global Asthma Prevention and Control Guidelines GINA” and summarized the method of “five steps to control asthma”, which makes asthma control easier and more effective.
(1) Experts help patients make clear diagnosis online and remind them to follow up regularly.
(2) Authoritative and scientific medication guidance, teaching patients to standardize the use of medication.
3）Professional doctors teach patients one-on-one to correctly master the method of inhaling medication.
4) systematic and professional knowledge of asthma disease, patients master the correct way to deal with asthma attacks.
(5) Complete asthma home monitoring system, easy and regular continuous recording of asthma diary.