Author: Meera Panalapppian
You have probably known someone who suffers from asthma or heard of someone who may suffer. According to the World Health Organization, 300 million have been diagnosed with asthma worldwide. Asthma is the most common chronic disease seen in children and adolescents and these numbers have been constantly escalating during the past years. In fact, it’s the main reason children are hospitalized. Though asthma can be managed in several cases, when these flare ups are exacerbated, it can result in hospitalization.
An asthmatic airway is far from the normal airway as it causes one’s airways to narrow, swell, and produce mucus. This induces difficulty in breathing and wheezing. When the airways become constricted, air is no longer able to flow in and out of the body. In order to mitigate asthma symptoms, inhalers are prescribed by doctors in efforts of allowing the patient to breathe normally again. Inhalers work by delivering the medication straight to the lungs to reduce the inflammation and relax the muscles in the airway, making it easier to breathe. In severe cases, such as when an individual experiences an asthma attack, they may be hospitalized. Severe asthma attacks entail symptoms of having shortness of breath, being unable to speak, and seeing no signs of improvement even after using an inhaler. Children may often describe their asthma as “My chest feels funny” or “I keep coughing”. The most common warning signs that a child has asthma and needs to visit a health care provider is if they are continuously coughing during physical activity or coughing in general. Their breathing may have a wheezing or whistling sound and it may be a rapid sort of breathing. They could complain of tightness in their chest or have strong emotional reactions such as crying or yelling.
Asthma is extremely common within children, but what are the causes behind it? In some instances, asthma can be congenital. A child’s family history may consist of individuals who suffer from asthma disorders or allergic diseases, putting them at risk for developing asthma. It’s not solely genetics that play a role, but outside factors can be just as detrimental. These factors can range anywhere from cigarette smoke or air pollution exposure, respiratory infections, airborne allergens, exercise, and more. When a child is susceptible to such triggers, it may increase their chance of developing asthma.
As children continue to suffer from severe asthma symptoms, it can negatively impact their daily life and interfere with normal activities. Since children are young and still adapting to the world around them, suffering from asthma invites both physical and emotional health effects. Children have often complained of being unable to sleep due to chest tightening or wheezing throughout the night, eventually leading to being fatigued throughout the daytime and even inability to focus during school. Children who suffer from more severe forms of asthma may need to take their medication more often; they are pulled out of class or other activities to do so which may cause them to get behind on their school work. Their quality of life may dwindle as well due to the restrictions they experience. Many are unable to participate in sports like their peers or own pets. Obesity in children is often linked with asthma, which means that exercise can strain the airways. Of course exercise is encouraged, but when it becomes too much for someone with asthma, they often need to step out and manage their symptoms. Children with asthma may be limited in what activities they are able to participate in as many extracurricular activities such as sports could worsen symptoms.
These limitations allow children to become isolated and deal with mental health issues at an extremely young age. They often become a target for bullies who make fun of their cough, the fact that they skip class, or when they’re not able to do the same activities as other children. The NIH depicts several childrens’ asthma experiences where many explain that their asthma impacts their social life. One child states that, “I do have it sometimes, then I have to cough during class and then on the playground [they] bully me and such [that] I did that.” Another explains how, “I try to run as fast as possible at the start and then I try to keep up. But I fall further and further behind. And everyone says like: ‘come on, faster’. And then, well, that's about it.. .. that I have to run faster.” These children feel as though their asthma ruins relationships with peers and are left out because of it. In addition to limitations in school and sports, children have to be conscious and avoidant of environmental triggers as well due to allergies. Those who fall into this category complain of not being allowed to do certain things or go places others can. Examples of this were how they weren’t allowed to keep pets or go near animals like dogs or cats. Like many houses with attics, dust collected in those spaces; this meant that kids with asthma weren’t allowed up there. Seasonal allergies would also worsen and trigger their asthma as well. Kids complain and protest such limitations as one comments on how, “I can't play with furry animals, and we don't have a dog either but daddy does want one.” or the fact that “[because] we have two attics and in one of them we might be allowed to build a hut and then I can hardly go in it."
Though children may experience emotional stress from their asthma condition, it is important to make sure that asthma attacks are prevented. Each year in the United States, more than 300 children and more than 3,000 adults die of asthma attacks when it could have been completely prevented. In many other cases, emergency treatment and hospitalization is avoidable if parents plan thoroughly and avoid their child’s triggers. Since air pollutants and smoke are major risk factors, it’s best for parents to not allow smoke near their child and try to avoid it. Because it provokes asthma attacks, children may need to visit the hospital immediately. Children who are a healthy weight and are able to be active have the ability to help their lungs function efficiently. Exercise can be a common cause of an attack, so the asthma must be controlled and light exercise is recommended.
Asthma attacks can be preventable, however, children are little and curious of what’s around them. They are not in control of their everyday surroundings and are prone to encountering certain asthmatic triggers. If a child is exposed to their triggers and an inhaler does not alleviate their asthma attack symptoms, hospitalization may be necessary. The amount of time in which one stays at the hospital depends on the severity of the symptoms and response to treatment. If symptoms do not improve, hospital stays extend to a few days rather than a couple of hours. If a child’s asthma is life threatening, they may need to stay in the PICU. Doctors will monitor the child’s progress and give the necessary medications or treatment until they are ready to discharge the patient. This includes blood tests and X-rays to check lung function. After hospitalization for asthma, it is crucial that parents follow up with their child’s normal pediatrician to change any medication and create a plan to keep symptoms under control.
As mentioned previously, children who suffer from asthma are isolated from their peers and often bullied for their condition which they obviously cannot control. This feeling of isolation is only aggravated if they are hospitalized during an asthma attack. Especially while children stay in the PICU, they are unable to socialize with others and their sense of loneliness grows. As someone who suffered from several asthma attacks as a kid, trips to the hospital can be extremely scary and lonely for a young child. An asthma attack itself feels like the world is closing in. Imagine your chest tightening and the air you would normally breathe suddenly being restricted as coughs sputter in between. When it becomes unbearable to the point that even your trusty inhaler can’t fix the problem. You are soon transported to the hospital and placed in a room as several treatments are given to help you breathe again. These asthma attacks can happen at the most unexpected of times, such as during school or during the night. Young children aren’t able to express themselves very well already and an asthma attack only prevents them from being able to speak freely. Once hospitalized, children need all the support they need to receive the care they need. While doctors provide medical treatment, they need others in their corner to support them through such hardships. If you would like to make a change and allow pediatric asthma patients to feel less alone, there are numerous ways to do so. This can include volunteering at a hospital, making cards, or interacting through zoom to make their hospital stays better, even by the smallest amount!
Works Cited
Washington State. doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/Documents/Pubs//345-332- QualityOfLife.pdf.
Healthline. www.healthline.com/health/severe-asthma/hospital-after-asthma-a ttack#staying-in-the-hospital.
Mayo Clinic. www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-asthma/symptoms- causes/syc-20351507.
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