Asthma And Your Child

If your child is suffering from asthma, here is good news for you. By regular treatment from the guidance of your physician, he can live an absolute normal life. It is very common for them to get depressed at times and it is your responsibility to boost them up through your positive attitude like:

• Encourage your child to participate in normal day to day activities.
  
• Encourage him to do what he enjoys most.
  
• Encourage him to be independent.
  
• Teach him the facts about asthma, when he will be mature enough to understand.
  
• He should be made responsible for taking his medicines regularly.
  
• He should be able to contact emergency in need.
  
• Inform school authority regarding his asthma.
  

Childhood Asthma - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. Can my child outgrow asthma?

Answer: Some child outgrows asthma as they grow older. In some it stops for some time and then recurs and in the rest it persists.

Q2. W ill my other children also be affected with asthma?

Answer: Asthma is not a contagious disease and not transmitted from person to person. Since this tends to run in the families, chance of them of being affected cannot be ruled out but not necessarily that does not mean that they will be affected as a rule!

Q3. Can my child exercise?

Answer: It is very important to do exercises. Swimming, Yoga and breathing exercises help to relieve asthma in a great way. In case he cannot, consult with your physician, he will titrate the doses and prescribe graded exercise till he reaches the normal level.

Q4. Should my child have special diet?

Answer: Not much known about the role of diet in asthma. Any trigger factor known to be present in diet must be completely avoided. Breastfeeding in infants increases immunity and helps the child to fight asthma better.

Q5. What to do when he starts going to school?

Answer: Don't hide his asthma from his teacher and the school authority. They should be properly informed regarding his treatment schedule. He must carry his medicines along in the school.

Q6. Can I send him to school trips?

Answer: If the asthma is properly controlled, yes you can. The accompanying teacher must be well informed about your child's asthma and its management protocol. He should carry all the medicines, including the emergency medicines along with him.