Repeated episodes of cough or difficulty in breathing may be a manifestation of Asthma in children.It is a common belief that,Asthma is a disease of adults and it does not occur in children.The fact is that, Asthma can occur at any age and it has been diagnosed and treated successfully in many infants less than one year of age.
Asthma has a genetic predisposition but a child not predisposed genetically may also develop Asthma.There should be an interaction with offending environment for a child genetically predisposed to develop Asthma.
Asthma in children is an allergic disease of respiratory system.But it may be nonallergic also.Allergy may be due to many things in the air or in the foods.
When a child develop breathlessness,usually parents call it as pneumonia.But it may not be pneumonia,it may be Asthma only or Asthma associated with Pneumonia.There are many conditions in children which looks like Asthma. So an expert and qualified doctor only can diagnose the condition as Asthma.
The mainstay of long term management of Asthma is inhalational steroid.Many parents are scared of steroid.There is no reason to be scared of steroid if it is given in right dose and duration which will be decided by a doctor. Steroid is not a poison,rather it may be nector when it becomes life saving in acute severe exacerbation of Asthma. In such conditions, it is given orally(through mouth) or intravenously(i.v.injections) as the condition permits.
Asthma is not curable but controllable.It must be controlled by regular use of inhalational steroid in children, as the lungs of children are growing lungs, and if left uncontrolled, the lung growth will be hampered .If lungs will not grow properly,body will also not grow properly.