Asthma is a potentially lethal illness which requires early recognition and prompt medical treatment in both children and adults. It is especially challenging for the parent of a child with asthma. Parents have to constantly watch for the early signs and symptoms of asthma in their children, but with proper management, children can lead a healthy and active lifestyle. Every acute asthma attack requires quick medical treatment or it could lead to hospitalization or even death.
Asthma attacks have early warning signs. It is important to recognize these signs so that you can begin treatment of an attack as early as possible. Some typical warning signs of an oncoming asthma attack are coughing with a runny nose and headache. Other signs include a change in mood, sneezing and changes in breathing which may be signs of an oncoming attack. Other signs may be dark circles under the eyes, fatigue and a feeling of itchiness in the throat. Asthma may also contribute to sleep difficulties, decreased energy to perform physical tasks like exercise. In addition, the diagnosis of asthma is aided by evaluation of the peak flow, which is a quick and easy diagnostic test which can be performed by your physician.
Asthma symptoms can be mild or severe for the asthma sufferer. Airflow is obstructed during an asthma attack by changes in the airways that channels the air to the lungs. This causes difficulty in breathing and can get progressively worse and in extreme cases can result in death. Wheezing is a sign of an oncoming attack, as well as coughing and tightness in the chest. Close attention to the early symptoms in children due to the fact that a child can sometimes have a tendency to ignore the initial symptoms during play and thus cause a delay in receiving prompt medical treatment.
It is important that the severe asthma sufferer have a plan in place for addressing severe attacks. This plan should be designed by a medical professional and be ready to be implemented at a moments notice. The signs of a severe asthma attack include the following: severe coughing and wheezing with shortness of breath and tightness in the chest. a grey or blue tint to the skin brought on by lack of oxygen in the blood stream, as well as rapid and shallow breathing. A severe decrease in the peak flow also confirms the diagnosis of an acute attack of asthma,
Paying close attention to your symptoms and their frequency and severity should be part of the asthmatics treatment plan. Doing so will help your physician more accurately direct his or her plan of action in your treatment. Merely telling your doctor about the symptoms is not enough. A written log or record of the symptoms is required to properly develop and make adjustments to an ongoing treatment plan.
This log should be as detailed as possible. It should include the following information:
1. The asthma symptoms and their severity when they occur.
2. The number of night-time awakenings or sleep disruptions. You should note the time they occur and how often they occur each night.
3. Any changes of the use of quick relief medicines. This would include any increase or decrease in their effectiveness and their frequency of use.
4. The number of school days or work days missed and hospital visits, as a result of an asthma attack.
5. Peak flow numbers should be recorded so that any patterns can be recognized and established.
In the end, the proper monitoring and treatment of an asthma attack is the responsibility of the patient and parents of children with asthma.
