Childhood Asthma And Its Effects

Asthma itself is an inflammatory disease characterized by increased airway responsiveness due to a variety of stimulus. The inflammation causes the hyper-responsiveness than in turn causes bronchiolar smooth muscle constriction, resulting in obstruction of airflow. Some

Childhood asthma is a growing healthcare issue in the United States. It is a common childhood medical disorder that affects approximately 7.1 million children under the age of 18. It is estimated that 4.1 million of this population suffered from an asthma episode in 2011 (American Lung Association, [ALA], 2014). Interestingly, children make up less than 20% of the United States population; however, it estimated that 29 % of hospitalization discharges were contributed to children with asthma who are under the age of 15.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the bronchial mucosa and hyperreactive bronchial tubes. Its etiology has been linked to both genetic and environmental factors. Several genes, including those that influence the production of proteins and cells involved in the immune response (such as interleukins, eosinophils, mast cells) have been linked with asthma. A decreased number of T-regulatory cells is also associated with asthma. Environmental factors linked with asthma include exposure to allergens, urban residence, and smoking (or exposure to secondary smoke). Recurrent respiratory tract viral infections may also contribute to the development of asthma. Decreased exposure to certain infectious organisms during early childhood, and the consequent underdevelopment of the immune response, can also lead to the development of asthma--this is known as the hygiene hypothesis (McCance & Huether, 2014, p. 1263-4).

Asthma is the most common chronic disease in children (Kahn and Boskey). Childhood asthma is when the lungs and airways become inflamed when something comes in contact to trigger it. There are different objects or activities to trigger a child’s asthma and if not treated appropriately it can cause an asthma attack. This disease can outbreak from a cold or any respiratory infection. Daily symptoms can interfere with a child’s asthma like a cold, sports, school, or play ("Childhood Asthma."). In the United States, it is estimated that approximately 5 million children under the age of 18 have this disease. In 1993 alone, asthma was the reason for almost 200,000 hospital stays and about 340 deaths under the age of 25 (Kahn and Boskey). Normally children will outgrow this disease by the time they

A mother put her her toddlers to sleep in the same room together, later that night she tragically found both of them doing the same thing.

The effect of asthma can range from mild, irregular symptoms causing minor problems for an individual to severe and sudden asthma attacks. The extent of what causes asthma is not well known or fully understood but some common triggers include, cold temperatures, dust mites, cockroaches, pollen, sickness, mould and animal hair. When triggered, the airways in the lungs become inflamed and constricted causing shortness of breath, chest pain and wheezing [R]. Currently, there is no cure for asthma however symptoms can be managed with medication and improved living standards [R]. Asthma symptoms are commonly controlled with the use of inhalers, either preventers (taken to desensitizes airways to triggers) or relievers (provides instant relief by relaxing the muscles) [16].

About 10% of American children have asthma (Thakur et al., 2013). It is vital to understand what determinants cause childhood asthma to understand even with a low percentage, why it is still present. According to Williams et al., asthma is a health outcome which is a major impact on American youth (Williams et al., 2009). This health outcome not only impacts them throughout the years of being a child, but it has the potential of creating more serious health problems in the future. And without knowing what the causes are, it increases the rate asthma among children and prevents treatments from being implemented. It needs to be addressed by using results from prior studies in order to show how much of a problem childhood asthma is but also in finding and understanding the other underlying

I. Introduction: Looking at Asthma and breaking it down to fully understand the chronic disease.

Asthma is best described as a chronic inflammation the pulmonary lower airways because of hyperresponsiveness of lower airway obstructions that is usually reversible (Fireman, 2003). Asthma is triggered by cold air, exercise, viral upper respiratory infections, cigarette smoking, and respiratory allergens. One in 12 people in the United States has been diagnosed with asthma which is approximately 25 million people which accounts for 8% of the total population (AAAAI, 2016). It is estimated that the average cost for care of asthma in the United States is about $3,300.00 yearly in related medical expenses, missed school, missed worked days and early death (AAAAI, 2016). The purpose of this paper is to describe the long-term treatment

Many low-income minority families tend to reside in areas with lower housing quality. These home acts as an important exposure site for numerous indoor allergens and asthma triggers. Research has shown a significant correlation between housing quality and health outcomes. Studies have also shown a higher prevalence of asthma in urban areas due to quality of air, housing and access to health care. The cross-sectional study “Homes of low-income minority families with asthmatic children have increased condition issues “, examined the hypothesis that low-income minority urban households with asthmatic children experienced more home, structural condition–related areas of concern than their white counterparts households with asthmatic children. Results

A common lung condition affecting people of all ages often starting in childhood, although can appear for first time in adults. Asthma is an attack of shortness of breath and difficulty in breathing due to swelling (inflammation) or a spasm of the bronchial tube. The inflammation makes the breathing tubes highly sensitive so they become narrow temporarily. Symptoms are coughing, wheezing, breathlessness, tight chest with the severity of symptoms varying from person to person. Symptoms usually come and go, although for some people are more persistent. Hypersensitivity to allergens, such as pollen, pet hair, dust mites and various food types may trigger an asthma attack. Asthma can be exacerbated by exercise, anxiety, stress and\or smoking.

My son was born with a severe upper respiratory disease. He had to undergo several years of intensive treatment and on occasion, surgery from birth to 12 years of age.    Consequently, respiratory disease is an illness that affects everyone in our household to some degree. However, my son's battle with the disease was life threatening and his livelihood was seriously impacted by this disease.

The child I helped take care of was a 15-year-old adolescent male. He was brought into the hospital due to an asthma attack. According to his mom, he has had asthma for years and sometimes has more severe attacks causing him to come into the hospital. Throughout this paper, this child’s developmental stages and medical diagnosis will be discussed.

Childhood asthma impacts scores of youngsters and their families. In fact, the bulk of kids develop respiratory illness before the age of

Asthma is a chronic airway disease that can be difficult to manage, resulting in poor outcomes and high costs (Kuhn et al., 2015). It is characterized by episodes of expiratory airflow obstruction, which occurs in response to multiple stimuli or triggers. Asthma is a lifelong disease, and symptoms include wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. Attacks can be mild, moderate, severe, or even life threatening and limit a person’s way of life (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2011). There is no known cure for asthma, but symptoms can be controlled by avoiding the triggers and taking prescribed medicines that prevent or minimize symptoms.