Asthma in Children Blog by Sonoran MD in Sun City, AZ

Asthma, characterized as a reactive airway disease, can be triggered by various factors including allergies, cold air, stress, and illness. Learn the signs and symptoms of asthma in children. At Sonoran MD, our healthcare team stands ready to collaborate with patients in formulating personalized asthma action plans and navigating available testing and treatment modalities. For more information, contact us or book an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 14810 N Del Webb Blvd, Suite A, Sun City, AZ 85351.

Upon the birth of my first child, I had not yet attained the status of a medical professional, and my familiarity with childcare, let alone managing a child with asthma, was virtually non-existent. I distinctly recall a night when my oldest son Ryker, then around three or four years old, began coughing incessantly after my wife and I had put him to bed. Throughout the night, we were haunted by the sound of his dry, raspy cough, our minds besieged by anxiety. Questions swirled: Is our child in peril? Should we rush him to the emergency room? Am I overreacting? Striving to maintain composure, I would reassure my wife, “It’s just a cold; he’ll be fine.” Yet inwardly, I harbored dread that he might cease breathing. I found myself checking on him repeatedly, listening to his persistent coughing, grappling with the uncertainty of what action to take.

Eventually, consumed by fear, I decided to seek medical attention at a nearby emergency facility. It was there that the diagnosis was made: “Your child is experiencing an asthma attack.” As he lay in the hospital bed, adorned with a nebulizer mask, his heart racing and hands trembling from the administered albuterol and steroids, he exhibited signs of exhaustion yet remained too agitated to rest. I vividly recall the look of apprehension in his eyes until weariness finally overcame him, and he succumbed to sleep. Several hours later, his breathing stabilized, allowing us to return home. I vowed never to endure such a harrowing experience again. Regrettably, for several subsequent years, we found ourselves frequenting the emergency room every few months until we successfully managed his asthma.

Asthma, characterized as a reactive airway disease, can be triggered by various factors including allergies, cold air, stress, and illness. During an asthma attack, the smooth muscle lining the bronchioles, the small air passages of the lungs, undergoes constriction, resulting in narrowed airways. This constriction impedes the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the alveoli, leading to sensations of breathlessness, chest tightness, and heightened respiratory rate in the patient. Prolonged, untreated attacks can lead to respiratory distress as the diaphragm, the principal respiratory muscle, fatigues, potentially culminating in respiratory failure. Asthma is a condition that demands serious attention, particularly in children and athletes.

Fortunately, with the guidance of healthcare professionals, appropriate diagnostic measures can be undertaken, and pharmacological interventions initiated to mitigate the severity and frequency of asthma attacks, thereby enabling individuals to engage in routine activities, including sports. The cornerstone of effective management lies in devising a comprehensive action plan and fostering patient education. Recognizing and promptly addressing early signs of asthma exacerbation are imperative to arresting the progression of respiratory compromise. At Sonoran MD, our healthcare team stands ready to collaborate with patients in formulating personalized asthma action plans and navigating available testing and treatment modalities. For further inquiries, we invite you to contact our office without delay. We are conveniently located at 14810 N Del Webb Blvd, Suite A, Sun City, AZ 85351. We serve patients from Sun City AZ, Glendale AZ, El Mirage AZ, Surprise AZ, Peoria AZ, and BEYOND!

Chris Morris, DO
Family Physician