What Causes Asthma?
by jmmillerAsthma is a lifelong, chronic disease. It is non-contagious and usually non-life threatening; however, asthma sufferers are also prone to sudden acute attacks. The disease causes a tightening and restriction of the airway passage, which often leads to wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing. An asthma attack can be very scary, especially for a child. It is important to always remain calm, and assure your child that everything will be alright.
Asthma causes breathing difficulty because of certain changes that occur in the lungs. These changes include the contracting of the muscles around the airway, swelling of the lining of the breathing passage, and a mucus build-up in the airway.
If your child is an asthmatic and not showing any symptoms, chances are that the lining of his or her airway is swollen. Therefore, it is extremely important to avoid exposing your child to asthma triggers, which can worse symptoms or even lead to an acute asthma attack. There are a number of asthma triggers and every child reacts differently to certain ones. Common triggers include:
· Genetic factors (If your child has allergies, they often exacerbate asthma);
· Tobacco smoke;
· Certain medicines (make sure your doctor knows all the medications your child is taking);
· Dust mites;
· Molds;
· Pets;
· Certain food allergies;
· Cockroaches;
· Pollen;
· Perfumes, colognes, air fresheners, and other strong odours or sprays;
· The flu;
· Cold weather.
Finally, a word about exercise: although exercise may seem to aggravate your child’s asthma, there is no reason why he or she cannot be active. Consult with your doctor, make sure your child does a good warm-up before starting a physical activity, and check the level of allergens in the outside air before sending your child outside.
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