Dubai Health Authority (DHA) on Thursday tweeted about how to control asthma, a condition that causes a person’s airways to narrow and swell resulting in breathing trouble.
Asthma, states the American Lung Association on its website, is the most common chronic condition among children. It affects about 6.1 million kids (under the age of 18) globally.
Symptoms of asthma
DHA lists the signs:
- Difficulty in breathing
- Allergies
- Frequent coughing
- Wheezing
- Chest pain
- Sleep problems
- Common cold
Triggers
If your child suffers from asthma, there may be a number of factors making things worse. DHA includes the following on its list of possible triggers:
- Pollution
- Fatty food
- Dust
- Household chemicals
- Pets
- Genetic predisposition
- Bacteria and viruses
Signs your child’s asthma is under control
- They can sleep without major symptoms.
- They rarely need to use their reliever medicines.
- They can do the things they want to do such as play outside without an attack.
9 tips to control asthma
DHA recommends the following preventive measures to help your child with their asthma:
- Know their triggers
- Help them take the prescribed medications on time
- Teach them how to use their inhaler properly
- Don’t smoke around them
- Help them consume a balanced diet and maintain a healthy weight
- Create a personalised asthma action plan with their treating physician
- Ensure they get their vaccinations including the flu and pneumococcal inoculations on time
- Keep an eye on their stress levels
- Treat any heartburn or oesophageal reflux they may suffer from
