Asthma can make it hard to get air into the lungs due to inflammation or narrowing of the tubes where air passes. Asthma can affect adults and children, but children may have an even more difficult time with symptoms. It can even interfere with sleep, which is critical to growth and development.
Asthma in children causes wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing that gets worse with activity. The joy of childhood is experienced through play, learning, and discovery, all of which can be impeded by uncontrolled asthma. A family medicine doctor can help treat your child’s asthma and help them live a normal and happy life.
Treating Childhood Asthma
The doctor first makes sure that it is asthma and not an infection that is causing symptoms in your child. A comprehensive evaluation that includes lung function tests is necessary to make a diagnosis. Your doctor will also determine your child’s triggers, whether environmental, seasonal, or exercise-induced. The goal of asthma treatment is to help your child breathe better and get your asthma symptoms under control.
Quick-Relief Medication
Treating childhood asthma generally includes quick-relief and long-acting control medication and methods. The purpose of quick-relief medication is to dilate the bronchial tubes during an asthma attack to provide relief from symptoms. Albuterol is a commonly prescribed bronchodilator in children, and it’s usually delivered through an inhaler. Most asthma medications have this delivery system to allow the medication to reach the lungs. Children under the age of five may need to use a nebulizer, which allows the inhalation of medication through a mask.
Long-Acting Control Medication
The purpose of long-acting control medication is to reduce the severity and frequency of asthma attacks. These maintenance drugs include inhaled corticosteroids (which control inflammation) and Leukotriene modifiers (which block the chemicals that trigger the narrowing of the airways), which are taken orally. Depending on the severity of your child’s asthma, your doctor may recommend injectable medication such as biologics like Nucala.
An asthma treatment plan is highly specific to the child’s needs. Some may also come with unpleasant side effects that necessitate a change in medication or delivery method. Once the doctor sees an improvement in your child’s asthma, they may step down the treatment or reduce the dosage of medication.
You will come away from your visit having a deeper understanding of asthma and what triggers your child’s symptoms. You will also have a personalized asthma action plan that includes how to respond to an attack. The doctor can also educate you on asthma prevention and provide you with tools that help you anticipate an asthma attack, so you can take precautionary actions to prevent it.
Family Medicine Doctors for Childhood Asthma Treatment in Fort Worth, Texas
If your child is exhibiting symptoms of asthma, get them medical treatment as soon as possible. At Texas Medical Institute, we treat patients with chronic illnesses, including childhood asthma. To make an appointment with a family medicine doctor, call our clinic at (817) 615-8633 or use our convenient online request form.
