Causes of asthma:

• Allergens: Mold, pollen, animals.
• Irritants: Cigarette smoking, air pollution.
• Weather: Cold air, changes in weather.
• Exercise.
• Infections like flu, common cold.

Symptoms of asthma:

• Coughing.
• Wheezing sound while exhaling.
• Breathlessness.
• Chest congestion or tightness.
• Other signs and symptoms:
• Difficulty in sleeping due to breathlessness, coughing or wheezing.
• Fatigue.

When to seek medical help:

• If there is constant cough or cough associated with physical exercise.
• Wheezing or whistling sound during breathing.
• Chest tightness.
• Breathlessness or rapid breathing.

When to contact emergency department in a wheezy child:

• Unable to speak.
• Using abdominal muscles to breathe.
• Widening of nostrils when breathing in.

Diagnosis of asthma:

• Medical history.
• Physical examination.
• Ling function tests.
• Spirometry.
• Chest x-ray.
• Testing for allergens.

Treatment of asthma:

• Bronchodilators like salbutamol, deriphylline, theophyline.
• Corticosteroids : It is used to treat persistent asthma . These medications will reduce the chronic inflammation in the airways. Examples are fluticasone, budesonide, triacinolone.
• Combination inhalers, which has both bronchodilators and steroids are used in asthmatics.
• Leukotriene modifiers like montelukast, zafirlukast and zileuton.
• Cromolyn: It will prevent mild to moderate asthma. It is usually given with corticosteroids.
• Immunotherapy (allergy-desensitization shots).

Well controlled asthma in children will have:

• Minimal or no symptoms
• Few or no asthma flare-ups
• No limitations on physical activities or exercise
• Minimal use of fast-acting "rescue" inhalers
• Few or no side effects from medications.

Prevention of asthma:

• Use air conditioner to reduce the allergens of airborne pollens from trees, gardens, weeds etc.
• Minimize dust like dusting the room every day, moping the floor with wet clothes.
• Avoid keeping poets at home like cat, dog since animal danders can cause asthma.
• Reduce exposure to cold air.
• Maintain low humidity using a dehumidifier.
• Avoid triggers of asthma like allergens, pollutants.
• Avoid smoking in front of the child.
• Allow the child to practice breathing techniques.
• Encourage the child to be active.
• Use medications as prescribed.