Frisco pediatrician can help with your child’s allergies and asthma
Allergy and asthma often go hand in hand in children because allergies can trigger asthma attacks. However, not everyone with allergies has asthma and not all people with asthma have allergies. Frisco and most of N. Texas are known for having higher than normal allergy-causing pollens, dust, and air quality ozone issues.
How allergic reactions trigger asthma
Allergens (things that trigger an allergic reaction) such as dust, pollen, mold, and fur can elicit asthma symptoms. When the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies allergens as harmful substances, it develops an allergic response in an attempt to fight it, releasing chemicals that cause nasal congestion, runny nose, watery eyes, and skin itching. These reactions can also affect the lungs and airways, causing an asthma attack.
Who is at risk for asthma?
There is a tendency for your child to have asthma and/or allergies if there is a family history of these. Both are hereditary and if one or both parents have either of these, your child is up to six times more likely to develop asthma. Please be sure to tell our pediatrician about all family history of asthma.
How allergy and asthma are treated
Different medications are available to treat allergies and asthma.
Quick-relief medicines provide immediate alleviation and are taken as soon as the symptoms show. Bronchodilators help expand the lung passageways which allows more air to enter and helps the child breathe. However, they only stop asthma symptoms and do not address the real cause (airway inflammation). Below are quick-relief medicines:
- Anticholinergics (e.g. ipratropium bromide/Atrovent)
- Short-acting beta-2 agonists (e.g. albuterol, levalbuterol/Xopenex)
Long-term control medicines are daily medications that prevent asthma attacks. Some long-term control medicines include the following:
- Leukotriene modifiers (e.g. montelukast/Singulair)
- Inhaled corticosteroids (e.g. fluticasone/Flovent, mometasone/Asmanex, beclomethasone dipropionate/Qvar)
- Long-acting beta-2 agonists (e.g. salmeterol, formoterol)
Many over-the-counter allergy medications (oral and nasal) are available to control allergy symptoms, which may help prevent some allergy-related asthma attacks.
Immunotherapy, or allergy shots, can also help treat asthma by reducing the child’s immune system response to allergens. It works like a vaccine, where your child is given regular injections containing a small amount of the allergens that trigger his/her allergy. This helps to build up a tolerance to specific allergens.
Managing allergic reactions and asthma attacks
The best thing you can do to manage your child’s allergies and asthma are to know what causes them and limit their exposure to them. See to it that your child maintains a healthy and active lifestyle that is suited to his/her condition. Well-controlled allergies and asthma should allow a child to play and engage in activities that any other child can enjoy. Consult with a pediatrician to develop a treatment plan that works for your child.
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/asthma/in-depth/allergies-and-asthma/art-20047458