Asthma In Children: Parent's Guide To Asthma Management
At least 1 million children in the UK have been diagnosed with a form of asthma. Asthma is a common chronic respiratory condition that causes inflammation and swelling in the airways and lungs. While asthma can’t be cured can, children can still have a normal quality of life with proper management and treatment.
Until they are old enough to manage their condition on their own, parents need to be proactive in helping their children treat their asthma. Your GP or specialist will work with you to create a personalised asthma action plan to prevent asthma attacks and to manage them if they happen. This plan could include identifying and avoiding triggers, making certain lifestyle adjustments, and using medications like inhalers and nebulisers. If you or your child has been prescribed either of these medications, visit our website. There you can buy a Ventolin Inhaler and Salbutamol Nebules online in the UK with swift home delivery. With our hassle-free prescriptions, we help to make it easier for you to manage your child’s asthma symptoms.
Ventolin Inhalers vs Salbutamol Nebules
Ventolin is the brand name for a widely used asthma medication called Salbutamol. A Ventolin inhaler is a small, handheld device that delivers medication directly into the airways. Salbutamol can also come as nebules that need to be used in a nebuliser. Nebulisers are different to inhalers in design, usage, and purpose. Which one you’re prescribed will come down to what type of asthma has been diagnosed and how well previous treatments have worked.
Ventolin Inhalers
Known as a reliever inhaler, these manually operated inhalers work by providing fast relief when asthma symptoms flare up. The medicine inside a Ventolin asthma inhaler, salbutamol sulphate, relaxes your airways and makes it easier to breathe. They should only be used during acute phases of asthma and shouldn’t be used on a regular basis. Both children and adults can use Ventolin inhalers to treat sudden asthma symptoms. Dosage will vary from person to person, but generally 1-2 puffs can be taken at a time up to 4 times per day. No more than 8 puffs should be inhaled per 24-hour period. A preventer inhaler is better suited to daily management than a reliever inhaler.
Salbutamol Nebules
Nebules are used inside devices called nebulisers. A nebuliser is an electronic or battery-operated machine that release a mist of liquid medicine that is inhaled. Nebulisers commonly have a mask for the user to wear over their nose and mouth when they need their medicine. Because nebulisers are easy to use, they are often prescribed for babies and children who have difficulty using a standard inhaler. The downside to this convenience is that they are larger, so they aren’t as portable as inhalers. The medicine also takes longer to work (up to 10 minutes), and younger children may become distressed at the noise nebulisers make.
Helping Your Child Prevent Asthma Attacks
Paediatric asthma can have different symptoms and triggers than adult asthma. Attacks are also more common in children, resulting in frequent GP visits and hospital visits. An asthma attack can be very frightening for children and being upset can exacerbate any symptoms.
Knowing your child’s triggers and habits is an important part of managing their condition. Identifying triggers take time since not everyone has the same ones and can change over time. Your GP or allergist can help you discover your child’s potential triggers, or you can use an asthma diary. In this diary, record any symptoms as well as what your child was doing in the time leading up to the symptoms. You’ll soon start noticing trends and patterns that can better help you identify what sets off your child’s symptoms.
Common triggers include:
- Pet dander
- Mould
- Dust mites
- Exercise
- Pollen
- Pollution
- Cleaning products
- Perfumes
- Cigarette smoke
- Weather
Risk Factors for Childhood Asthma
Why some children develop asthma and others don’t isn’t fully understood. It could be related to genetics, heredity, environmental factors, or infections. While you may never know what has caused your child’s asthma, there are some common risk factors.
Asthma Risk Factors in Children:
- Allergies
- Obesity
- Family history of asthma
- Premature birth
- Recurrent respiratory infections
- Frequent exposure to chemicals or pollutants
You can’t prevent genetics but try to limit how often your child is exposed to air pollution, cigarette smoke, and harsh chemicals or cleaners. This includes during pregnancy. Proper prenatal care is essential toward having a healthy birth.
Asthma Symptoms in Children
Not all children who are diagnosed with asthma experience it the same way. We commonly think of asthma attacks as severe breathing troubles or wheezing, but this isn’t the only way they can present in both adults and children. Just because your child isn’t gasping for breath, it doesn’t mean he or she isn’t experiencing symptoms of asthma.
Childhood Asthma Symptoms:
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty breathing
- Tightness in the chest
- Pain when breathing
- Persistent coughing not caused by illness
- Waking up at night from respiratory distress
- Fatigue or low activity levels
- Difficulty overcoming illnesses like colds
Your child may only have one of these symptoms or a combination of several. Uncontrolled asthma and frequent attacks can make it hard for children to keep up with their schooling and with their peers. The better you manage their asthma, the better quality of life they will have. Be proactive with your child’s health and help them understand why they may not be able to do all the same activities as their friends. The more they know about their condition, the more in control they can feel about it.
Asthma Treatment from Pharmacy Planet
If you have asthma and use a Ventolin inhaler or other type of asthma inhaler, then you can safely buy it from our online pharmacy. We sell several effective and affordable asthma treatments that we will ship quickly and safely to your door. Use Pharmacy Planet today to buy your Ventolin Inhaler online in the UK and Salbutamol Nebules online in the UK.
Authored By
HARMINDER ‘HARMY’ KAUR
BSc(hons) Pharmacy
GPhC Number: 2061107
Reviewed By
GURDEV SEHMI
BSc Pharm, MRPharmS, Independent Prescriber, Superintendent Pharmacist, Clinical Lead
GPhC Number: 2050925