Asthma in Children
Asthma is the leading cause of chronic illness in children. It affects as
many as 10%-12% of children in the U.S. and, for unknown reasons, is steadily
increasing. It can begin at any age, but most children have their first
symptoms by age 5.
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Asthma Risk - Who & Why?
Medical Author: Alan Szeftel, MD, FCCP
Medical Editor: William
C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
 One of the more frequent questions my patients ask me concerns the relative risk of their child developing allergies or asthma. In previous Doctors' Views, I have raised issues relating the environment to the development of allergies or asthma. However, both a genetic predisposition and environmental/lifestyle factors are necessary for these conditions to develop.
The incidence of asthma has risen dramatically in the past 20 years—a period too short to reflect any significant changes in the gene pool. This supports the important role that environmental influences (allergy, infection, lifestyle, and diet) have on the development of asthma.
What role then does genetics (heredity) play in asthma? A genetic link in asthma has long been suspected primarily due to "clustering" of cases within families and in identical twins. This does not prove a genetic cause, since it may also reflect shared environmental exposures. Several studies conclude that heredity increases your chances of developing asthma, particularly if allergies or other allergic conditions are present. Moreover, you may pass this tendency to asthma to the next generation. So, what are the chances that your child will develop asthma?
Asthma Resources from Medscape and eMedicine
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What makes a child more likely to develop asthma?
There are many risk factors for developing childhood asthma. These
include:
- Presence of allergies
- Family history of asthma and/or allergies
- Frequent respiratory infections
- Low birth weight
- Exposure to tobacco smoke before and/or after birth
- Being male
- Being black
- Being raised in a low-income environment
Why are more children getting asthma?
No one really knows why more and more children are developing asthma. Some
experts suggest that children are being exposed to more and more allergens such
as dust, air pollution, and second-hand smoke. These factors all are triggers
of asthma. Others suspect that children are not exposed to enough childhood
illnesses to build up their immune system. It appears that a disorder of the
immune system where the body fails to make enough protective antibodies may
play a role in causing asthma.
And still others suggest that decreasing rates of breastfeeding have
prevented important substances of the immune system from being passed on to
babies.
How can I tell if my child has asthma?
Signs and symptoms to look for include:
- Frequent coughing spells, which may occur during play, at night, or while laughing. It is important to know that cough may be the only symptom present.
- Less energy during play
- Rapid breathing
- Complaint of chest tightness or chest "hurting"
- Whistling sound (wheezing) when breathing in or out
- See-saw motions (retractions) in the chest from labored breathing
- Shortness of breath, loss of breath
- Tightened neck and chest muscles
- Feelings of weakness or tiredness
Keep in mind that not all children have the same asthma symptoms, and these
symptoms can vary from asthma episode to the next episode in the same child.
Also note that not all wheezing or coughing is caused by asthma.
In kids under 5 years of age, the most common cause of asthma-like symptoms
is upper respiratory viral infections such as the common cold.
If your child has problem breathing, take him or her to the doctor
immediately for an evaluation.
Next: How is asthma diagnosed in children? »
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Asthma in Children
Eczema »
What is eczema?
Eczema is a general term for many types of skin
inflammation, also known as dermatitis. The most common form of eczema is atopic
dermatitis (some people use
these two terms interchangeably). However, there are many different forms of
eczema.
Eczema can affect people of any age, although the
condition is most common in infants. Eczema will permanently resolve by age
3 in about half of affected infants. In others, the condition tends to recur
throughout life. People with
eczema often have a family history of the
condition or a family history of other allergic conditions, such as asthma or
hay fever. Up to 20% of children and 1%-2%
of adults are believed to have eczema.
What are the causes of eczema?
Doctors do not know the exact cause of eczema, but an
abnormal function of
the immune system is believed to be a factor. Some forms of eczema can be
triggered by substances that come in contac...
Read the Eczema article »
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