Asthma & Allergy

Asthma

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects your airways, making them swell. Children with asthma may experience wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing, especially early in the morning or at night. Children have smaller airways than adults, which makes asthma especially serious for them.

Many things can cause asthma, including

• Allergens - mold, pollen, animals
• Irritants - cigarette smoke, air pollution
• Weather - cold air, changes in weather
• Exercise
• Infections - flu, common cold

When asthma symptoms become worse than usual, it is called an asthma attack. Asthma is treated with two kinds of medicines: quick-relief medicines to stop asthma symptoms and long-term control medicines to prevent symptoms.

When asthma requires long term controller medications, we follow up every 6 months to make sure asthma stays well controlled. Poorly controlled asthma can lead to loss of long term lung function. We want your child to breathe well for life.

Allergies

Allergies may be seasonal or can strike year-round (perennial). In most parts of the United States, plant pollens are often the cause of seasonal allergic rhinitis - more commonly called hay fever. Indoor substances, such as mold, dust mites, and pet dander, may cause the perennial kind.

Almost half of children will suffer at some point from allergic rhinitis (runny nose) or allergic conjunctivitis (itchy eyes). And children are more likely to develop allergies if one or both parents have allergies.

Many allergy treatments are now over the counter, but are best used in the way your physician directs you to. When allergies get severe, a trip to the allergist may help inform what allergens to avoid. They also offer allergy immunotherapy which can be done orally or as shots to suppress allergies long term as well.