Risk Factors of Asthma Children
Talking about chronic diseases that affect children, we cannot ignore the shocking percentages shown by statistical surveys of the number of children suffering from asthma. In the United States, as many as 12.5% of children are affected by asthma and the number is on a steady rise each passing year.
The two types of asthma that affect children can be categorized as non-allergic and allergic asthma. The worse thing about it is that triggers are most often common things that are found in the environment. Therefore there is no getting away from the triggers unless otherwise asthma children develop resistance to the allergic reactions.
The most common risk factors of asthma children are a family history of allergy, eczema and asthma. Studies show that if the mother suffers from asthma, there is a higher chance that she will produce asthma children. However, the study also says that the children can inherit allergies to certain things from both parents.
Being exposed to smoke, especially if one or both parents are heavy smokers, increases the chances of asthma children. Additionally, house dust, odors from heavy chemicals and even dust mites become risk factors for asthma children.
Another prevalent condition in asthma children is being born by premature births. These kids do not have a strong immune system to withstand the environment that they have been exposed to following their premature birth. Therefore you ought to be extra careful if you give birth to a pre-mature baby.
It's true that we all love pets and they can be better friends than humans. But if you give birth to a kid who shows asthmatic tendencies, you will have to make a tough decision and give up the pets. After all, why risk your child's health of turning him or her in to an asthma child?
There are no proper diagnostic tests to be used on children less than six years of age. Therefore you wouldn't know if your kid falls in to the category of asthma children unless you are knowledgeable about common signs and symptoms. In children who are older than six years old, physicians may conduct blood tests, x-rays and skin allergy tests to determine if the child is asthmatic. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are also used sometimes for diagnosis.
The best thing you could do as a parent of asthma children is to keep a close eye on their behavioral changes. Many kids will not know how to tell what they feel, but if you know enough about the early signs and symptoms, you will be able to recognize asthma attacks in children.