Asthma is a condition that causes swelling in the lungs. In infants, this can sometimes be a life-threatening situation. Infants are especially defenseless against this disease because their lungs are much smaller than older children. It is important for parents to know the symptoms, triggers, and treatments for this problem. Here is the information to help you get a better understanding of infant asthma.
What Is Infant Asthma?
Asthma is a condition that causes inflammation in the bronchial tubes of the lungs. Eventually the passageway becomes smaller and air has trouble getting in the lungs. In babies, this can be a dangerous situation. For the sake of your baby’s health, it is important to know what causes this respiratory disorder. Possible risk factors include a family history of asthma, allergies, and eczema.
You can look for the following signs that your infant is having trouble breathing. The most common symptoms are wheezing, coughing, and rapid breathing . Also look for things like poor feeding and poor sleeping. If your infant makes strange noises after playing or eating, it is a sign that something is wrong. This illness can also cause your baby to have noisy breathing or to flair their nares to bring more air in.
Planning A Course Of Medical Treatment
Once you notice that your infant is having trouble breathing, you need to develop a way to properly care for your infant. With the help of your infant’s doctor, you can plan a course of action. After your infant’s doctor takes a physical exam and runs some laboratory tests, he or she will have a good idea of what is causing the attacks and plan a course of action.
Make sure that you watch your infant for the triggers that set off these attacks. It may start with a coughing fit or attack and change into a more serious condition. Children in respiratory distress usually have increased pulse or breathing. The most common triggers are smoke, mold, animal dander, dust and pollen. Once you find the possible triggers, keep a list and talk with your doctor.
When Is The Right Time To Go To The Emergency Room?
There are other more serious symptoms that may occur, such as a change in the color of skin or heavy movement of the chest area. These are indicators of an emergency situation and you need to seek medical help immediately. If you think that your baby is having a severe episode, go to the nearest emergency medical facility. Do not leave a serious condition to chance. If your infant does have asthma, it can be successfully controlled with the right kind of therapy.
Emergency medical treatment is necessary if the infant is struggling to breathe as indicated by the sides pulling inward, an unusually high rate of breathing, or heavy sweating. Additional signs that breathing is a struggle are flaring nostrils, the use of abdominal muscles to breathe, or having to stop in the middle of a sentence to catch a breath.
There are a number of medical treatments and natural remedies to control this illness and keep symptoms at bay. This medical condition tends to weaken the young immature lungs of young babies and make it vulnerable to other illnesses. Thankfully, symptoms can be controlled with the right kind of treatment. If your baby has asthma, your infant can breathe normally with a proper management plan.
Lynn Versailles is a registered nurse and a life-long sufferer of asthma. Through years of research and life experiences, she shares her knowledge on how to properly manage asthma on http://www.safetreatmentsforasthma.com. To learn more, download The Ultimate Asthma Management Guide. It is a free online guide on medical treatments and natural remedies to properly manage this illness.
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