Letter from Randi

What is asthma

Asthma's
impact
on living and learning

Managing your child's asthma

The tools every asthmatic needs

Asthma emergencies

How teachers can help

What your school nurse can do

Where to seek help

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic lung disease. People who have it are susceptible to "attacks" in which airways in the lungs become inflamed and narrow. This makes it very difficult to breathe.

Asthmatic Breathing

	During an attack, the air passages are narrowed as muscles tighten and are clogged from increased mucus and swelling of the lining of the airways. Patients may gasp for air and feel they are suffocating. When an attack begins, the patient complains frequently of a feeling of tightness in the chest. In addition, the patient has a hacking cough and shortness of breath. Thick mucus called phlegm develops in the lungs, and the cough becomes more intense. The patient may feel temporarily better after coughing up the phlegm.

 

Four main ways an asthma attack results in blocked airways:

• Blood vessels leak from allergic reactions
• Airways swell and become inflamed
• Mucus secretion increases
• Muscles squeeze down and choke the airways

No one knows what causes asthma. No one can say for certain what will cause or "trigger" an asthma attack - it's different for every person with the disease.

If your child has an asthma attack, she or he will show one or more of these symptoms:

• Itching throat.
• Wheezing, which is a high-pitched whistling sound made during exhales.
• Persistent coughing, especially at night.
• Tightening of the chest.
• Shortness of breath.

Does your child have asthma?

If you're unsure whether your child has asthma, try this little quiz:

In the last year:

1. Has your child had a sudden severe episode or recurrent episodes of coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath?
2. Have these episodes occurred during a particular time of the year, or when your child was in a particular place, or exposed to certain things (like animals, tobacco, smoke or perfume)?
3. Has your child had colds that go to the chest or take more than 10 days to clear up?
4. Have you given your child any medication to help him or her breathe easier? Have these medications helped relieve the symptoms?
5. In the last month:
6. Has your child had episodes of coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath in the morning? In the middle of the night - enough to wake him or her up? After moderate exercise?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, your child may have asthma. Make an appointment with your child's doctor to be sure.

What triggers an asthma attack?

You probably know some asthma triggers, but others might surprise you. They include:

• Strong odors from perfumes, paints, sprays, etc.
• Air pollution.
• Pollen.
• Cigarette smoke.
• Dust, mold and cockroaches.
• Vigorous exercise.
• Furry animals.
• Cold air or changes in the weather.
• Respiratory infections.
• Allergies to foods such as nuts, chocolate and fish.