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Asthma:
Taming the Tiger
My
three-year-old could hardly breathe. I sat by his
bedside through the night listening intently, looking
closely at his chest; my heart was in my throat as I
crouched over him hoping to feel air exhaling. I had
been fooled because symptoms had gradually worsened.
We bombarded the doctor's office early the next
morning. Since that time, I have gained an
understanding of asthma that helps our family tame
that unpredictable tiger.
Asthma is actually a lung disease of the small
airways. In fact, over 17 million persons are known to
have the disorder, one-third of them being children.
Asthma differs from person to person. Some have mild
symptoms; others constantly struggle to breathe. Some
attacks are momentary but others persist for days.
They can range in intensity from annoying to life
threatening.
What Should I Look For?
The most common indicators of asthma are:
~ Recurrent feeling of tightness in the chest
~ Persistent wheezing (hissing sound heard when
exhaling)
~ Frequent, repeated shortness of breath
~ Continuing cough that extends for more than a week
Do you or your child have to exhibit all the symptoms?
The answer is NO! In fact, two children in one family
can present varying signs. Our youngest son was
diagnosed at a young age and now takes an
antihistamine; however, a cold drives his lungs into
an immediate reaction.
For years our middle son coughed at night but never
showed other signs. Last year he abruptly developed a
wheeze and fatigue. A well-qualified physician
diagnosed asthma. Eventually the outward symptoms
disappeared, however I wondered if there were other
steps to take. We consulted a pediatric asthma
specialist who recognized the subtle indicators of
uncontrolled asthma.
Intervention for mild symptoms can reverse damage and
prevent worse attacks. Education helps us recognize
the asthma tiger's sneakiness. Recognition of symptoms
is the first step. Managing them is the second.
How Do I Manage Asthma Symptoms?
~If your asthma specialist or pulmonologist prescribes
medications, take them. Follow instructions and don't
miss doses. Some medications take days or weeks to
reach full potential.
~Ask questions. Your healthcare provider can answer
them.
~ Avoid or lessen exposure to things that trigger
asthma episodes.
This brings us to a common trigger that causes
allergy-related asthma: household dust.
House Dust –A Major Cause of Allergies:
A microscopic creature called a dust mite feeds off
human skin scales or animal dander in household dust.
Our sons are allergic to this type of dust so taming
the tiger means going to his den, but conventional
cleaning methods are insufficient to route these
mites.
We concentrated our efforts where the boys spend one
third of their time – the bedroom. We did the
following:
~ Used allergy mattress covers.
~ Covered all pillows with non-allergenic casings.
~ Used wood instead of carpet.
~ Eliminated stuffed animals.
So, do we have everything perfectly under control?
Hardly! We'll change our taming methods as the tiger
changes his. I'll let you know how it goes!
©
2002,
Diane H. Pitts.
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