Change of weather, in particular the contrast between day and night may have an impact on people with asthma, a condition mainly caused by the constriction of muscles around the airways that then become inflamed, narrow and fill with mucus.

“In fact extreme weather can be an asthma trigger in people who are sensitive to not only cold but also hot climate,” said Dr Saipin Littikote, a pediatrician at Mahasarakham Hospital. “A change in temperature _ up or down _ can set off a bronchial spasm, which can become bronchitis that can lead to such symptoms as wheezing, coughing, feeling tight in the chest that make it difficult to breath.”

Asthma symptoms often strike at night during sleep.

In severe cases, asthma attacks can be life-threatening in the absence of timely and proper treatment. but Dr Watchara Boonsawat, president of Easy Asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) Clinic Network said that asthma is usually not considered a deadly condition because preventative treatment options are readily available.

“Now standard practice for asthma treatment in Thailand is much better than in the past _ both controllers and relievers,” said Dr Watchara. “It’s unfortunate that some attacks occur as a result of the refusal of patients to accept their asthmatic condition and their poor compliance. while most cases of severe asthma attacks occur in people who don’t have an appropriate treatment and don’t take their medication correctly.”

Today, asthma treatment can be easily accessible. According to Dr Watchara, there are now over 900 hospitals nationwide which develop easy asthma clinics that are able to provide standard treatment for asthma attacks including quick assessment of lung function, inhaler and educational programme on how to well cope with the condition and exercise for asthmatics.

“We believe that the activities can help patients with asthma to this end have improved quality of life,” Dr Watchara said.

Developed since 2009, Easy Asthma Clinic programme is a collaboration between Easy Asthma and COPD Clinic Network and the National Health Security Office. by following the group’s standard treatment guidelines, Dr Watchara said it’s found that the number of patients with acute asthma attack have decreased to less than 50 per 100,000 population. the number of patients who have been treated with steroid medication increased, while the number of patients needing admission decreased.

“All clinics, even in some rural areas, are now able to provide standard practice for asthma treatment so that they provide convenience for patients who don’t need to visit a provincial hospital,” said Dr Watchara.

To keep asthma attack at bay, nothing is important than the classic self-care measure of taking good care of oneself. to achieve this, asthmatics should eat well-balanced meals that include different food groups and regularly exercise.

“Asthmatics should drink enough fluids every day, as well,” said Dr Saipin, who is also president of Holistic Asthma Care Model of Mahasarakam Hospital that won the first prize at the EACC Excellence Award 2011, given to hospitals that have an outstanding record for asthma treatment.

Another key element of asthma attacks, control and prevention, Dr Saipin said, is to avoid triggers, pollen, airborne allergens. Dusty bedroom particularly can exacerbate asthma. the doctor drew attention to bedding, pillows, rugs and carpets where dust and invisible dust mites may be present and can accumulate.

“Hanging blankets in the sun may not be enough,” said Dr Saipin. “Better wash the sheets and blankets every week in hot water for more than 30 minutes to kill dust mites. and make sure that water is hotter than 55-60 Celsius.”

Patients with asthma, Dr Saipin said, are recommended to have a peak flow metre, a tool that is used to monitor asthma symptoms, at home. It’s a simple device that asthmatics can use to measure how well their lungs are working so that they can decide if they need to take action in order to keep asthma exacerbation under control.

“On top of that, asthmatics should have a thorough knowledge of their illnesses that can be varied with season, and record their illnesses that can help them monitor and manage symptoms effectively. Also strictly follow medication and treatment plan as prescribed by a doctor,” Dr Saipin said.

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CHILDREN as young as seven are increasingly being diagnosed with anxiety, which is causing panic attacks, aggression and sleep problems.

Melbourne doctors have expressed concern at treating more children than ever for anxiety issues, blaming family breakdowns, busy lives and working families.

Royal Children’s Hospital developmental behavioural pediatrician Professor Jill Sewell said younger and younger children were being referred showing symptoms of anxiety.

Children displayed compulsive behaviours and symptoms similar to panic attacks in some severe cases, she said.

"in my experience, as a practising pediatrician, I have noticed an increasing number of primary school-aged children presenting with symptoms of anxiety," Prof Sewell said.

She said the rise was concerning, but there was not enough evidence to completely understand why.

"the sorts of things we feel are contributing are busy lives and urban living, complex family breakdowns, lack of extended family support … and stressed parents who are often busy with two jobs, which means long days for everybody," she said.

Family psychologist Sally-Anne McCormack echoed the concerns, saying today’s generation of children were under increasing pressure.

"it certainly is a fairly common diagnosis for children, the many different anxiety disorders that affect young people, and phobias," Ms McCormack said.

"We busy up our children a lot, and don’t necessarily give them time to just be kids. Over-scheduling causes anxiety for everyone.

"also, well-meaning parents could potentially place anxiety on them, wanting them to be the very best they can be.

"but by giving them the expectation that they have to achieve, we can place unnecessary pressures potentially on our children."

Richmond Hill Psychology’s Dr Janet Hall said one of the biggest issues for children experiencing anxiety was being bullied and picked on.

"Girls are often excluded from friendship groups, and this can destroy their confidence and self-esteem," Dr Hall said.

"Boys are more often physically intimidated."

Other than croup. Please don't say croup. I don't want it to be croup. But if it is croup, please remind me of other symptoms.

asthma?
pneumonia?

was going to say croup, right after i was going to tell you to go call your pediatrician and don't trust us, clown-nose.

It's Croup. The barking cough is the only symptom. It generally clears out within a couple of days. no need to panic.

croup, there doesn't have to be any other symptoms. I had it for most of my youth.

Sorry, it sounds like croup. I know the second I hear that horrible sound, it's on to the steroids.

My 2 year old had that about 1 month ago. his only symptom was a barking cough and a little bit of a runny nose. they gave him a liquid steroid for 3 days. After the first day, no more cough. I added a link that talks about symptoms/diagnosis/treatment. my MD also suggested a could mist humidifier and push fluids. good luck!

it could be croup sorry or asthma call the doctor and take him in

Upper respiratory infection?

Croup is easy enough to treat, Bella had it recently and she has asthma, not too bad.

If the child has no other symptoms its very likely is croup. us e a humidifier or even a steamy bathroom to ease the child's breathing.

Just watch the child for a day or two and if he doesn't start to improve then see a doctor or if other symptoms occur.

bronchitis?? Could be that nasty c letter word you don't like as well!

here is some information on it!

Signs and Symptoms
Croup is characterized by a loud cough that may sound like the barking of a seal and may be accompanied by fast or difficult breathing and sometimes a grunting noise or wheezing while breathing.

At first, a child may have cold symptoms like a stuffy or runny nose for a few days and may also have fever. as the upper airway (the lining of the windpipe and the voice box) becomes progressively inflamed and swollen, the child may become hoarse, with a harsh, barking cough.

If the upper airway becomes swollen to the point where it is partially blocked off, it becomes even more difficult for a child to breathe. this happens with severe croup. with severe croup, there may be a high-pitched or squeaking noise when breathing in (this is called stridor). a child will tend to breathe very fast, and the stomach or the skin between the ribs may seem to pull in during breathing since he or she is working hard to get air in to the lungs. The child may also appear pale or bluish around the mouth from not getting enough oxygen. these are signs that a child needs immediate medical attention.

Symptoms of croup often worsen at night and when the child is upset or crying. In addition to the effects on the upper airway, the infections that cause croup can result in inflammation further down the airway, including the bronchi (breathing tubes) and the lungs.

I hate to disappoint you but it sounds like croup. The boy I watch last year had that and he had a barking cough.

it most likely is croup. I had it myself as a kid. i would get it maybe once or twice a year. But you just have to deal with it for a while it might suck really bad yes i know trust me!! but he/she will eventually grow out of it. I do not have it any more.

My son has croup right now. He's had that cough on and off for a couple of years. He's been to the ER before to get steroids because it used to scare me. now that I know more about it, I'm not as worried. (although he has no other medical conditions) HONEY really helps. The darker the better. 1tsp every 4-6 hrs. And the hot shower. my son did that this morning when he had a coughing fit and he's sounding a lot better now.

Did you read my post? my kids have the chicken pox right now. Kids getting sick stinks!!

Reactive airway~

Allergies that make the throat tighten. not necessarily asthma tho.
My 13 yr old has had the "croupy" cough on and off for years…. NOT asthmatic. he needs warm drinks, baths, vaporizor and a doctor appt. to establish any other treatment needed.

I talked to my Pediatrician and he has sent a referal but it takes six months to a year.does anyone know of a place where the wait isnt so long?? I live in Toronto

Go to Sick Kids, The George Hull, Kerry's place, Erin Oaks, The Child Development Institute of Toronto. it is better to get is diagonosed early so they can begin to help you in the school and at home. also there is a great book called "how to Raise a sensory Smart child".

Try someone in the Mental Health Field it may go quicker
Also use yor School Resources
I saw someone suggest US Resources, that may not be a bad idea
Look for Support Groups in your Area to Hook Up with Families who have already been where you are now
Write Letters to People who can help, a simple note can carry a lot of weight when your cause is worthy

Good Luck!

how old is the child

start by looking into education and therapythat can be started before a diagnosis

waiting lists in the US can be a year too

Call a doctor in the U.S., if you can afford it. six months without a diagnosis, treatment plan, etc… is a long time to wait.

A few weeks ago my 17-year-old daughter brought home the second half of a Thai wrap she’d bought for lunch on a school field trip. Before stashing it in the fridge, she plucked a peanut from the filling and put it in her mouth.

Next thing she knew, her throat started to itch. then the sensation migrated to her inner ear. by the time she came to tell me about it, her face had turned red, and soon she had a headache and stomachache. Her pediatrician suggested keeping an eye on her and giving her a Benadryl, which relieved some symptoms. she also prescribed keeping on hand an EpiPen, an adrenaline injector that can stall an allergic reaction long enough to get the patient to the emergency room.

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But my daughter’s skin test for a peanut allergy came up negative, as did a subsequent blood test. in January her allergist will perform a controlled peanut challenge in his office, in which he will feed her peanuts and see how she responds.

Welcome, Huget family, to the maddening world of food allergies.

We once coasted through life without paying the slightest attention to potential allergens in our food. Now we read labels and harbor suspicions like never before.

We regret the loss (for now, anyway) of peanuts in my daughter’s life, but at least that seemed manageable. that is, until Thanksgiving dinner at my mom’s house, where my daughter had another reaction. This time our best amateur guess was that lima beans were the culprits; limas, like peanuts, are legumes.

It’s not unheard of for grown people to suddenly develop a food allergy. with the holidays nigh, I wondered how people of any age with food allergies navigate the season’s food-centered festivities. I talked with three experts to get some guidance. they are Stanley Fineman, the Atlanta-based president-elect of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology; Jeffrey Factor, a Hartford, Conn., area allergist (who, as it happens, is in the same practice group as my daughter’s allergist); and Dee Sandquist, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

One thing they all agreed on was that getting a solid diagnosis from an allergist is key to managing your condition. Once you or a loved one receives a diagnosis, consider these steps to stay safe while dining away from home:

• call ahead. Let your host, or the restaurant you’ll be eating at, know in advance about your allergy so they can make accommodations.

• Share safe food. Offer to bring a dish or two to a gathering. that way you’ll be sure there’s something you can eat.

• ask questions. Don’t be shy about asking your host detailed questions about the ingredients in the foods they’re serving. Milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat and tree nuts are among the most common food allergens (soy, fish and shellfish are others), and they can lurk in all kinds of foods. (For instance, Sandquist notes, sausages and luncheon meats can contain milk products.)

If you can, ask to read labels of packaged foods included in the offerings. and find out whether cooking tools and serving vessels might have been used to handle foods containing your allergen. (If you’re hosting an event, Fineman suggests putting labels next to serving dishes listing the potential allergens they contain.)

• ask more questions, especially about potential cross-contamination. “It’s just something that a lot of people don’t think about,” Factor says, noting that a cook might bake two batches of cookies, one with nuts and the other without, but use the same spatula or cookie sheet for both. “It doesn’t cross their mind because they don’t have a child or relative who has a food allergy.”

• Quiz the chef. in a restaurant, ask to speak directly with the chef about your allergy, and don’t be satisfied unless you’re confident that he or she is knowledgeable and understands your concerns, Factor advises. If you can, call ahead to speak with the chef during a time when he or she is not likely to be too busy cooking. Sandquist suggests printing cards listing your food allergies; your server can take the card back to the chef, and you don’t have to worry about information getting lost in translation.

• Bring your own. If you’re not sure a restaurant can meet your needs, don’t be shy about packing your own lunch or dinner. “that may be the safest way to avoid the risk of a reaction,” Factor says. call ahead to ensure the restaurant will allow this.

• Be prepared. always keep your epinephrine injector (such as an EpiPen) handy, just in case. “The onus is really on the person who has the allergy,” says Fineman.

December 2, 2010 in Asthma

A lot of us generally assume that asthma only affects adults or children. but in reality, asthma can affect anyone irrespective of their age, sex or race. every parent must have a good idea about the toddler asthma symptoms. Often, these symptoms are ignored or taken lightly by parents due to lack of proper knowledge. In this article, we present the most common symptoms of asthma in toddlers. Read on to know more.

SymptomsSome of the most common toddler asthma symptoms include:

• Noisy breathing
• Persistent cough
• Wheezing or panting while performing normal activities
• Lethargy or lack of interest in playing or in their favorite activity
• Difficulty in eating
• Rapid breathing
• Rapid movement of the nostrils, chest and stomach (while trying hard to breathe)

Almost all of the toddler asthma symptoms mentioned above can be caused due to other respiratory infections too. Now, this is the tricky part. would ‘you’, as a parent, be able to determine the cause of the symptoms? The answer would be a definite NO (Of course, unless you are a doctor). The best thing to do would be to consult a doctor or a pediatrician.

The good news is that in most of the cases, asthma is not carried into adulthood. As they grow, toddlers develop immunity towards the disease. but this requires proper management of asthma in the initial stages.

Instructions to deal with toddler asthmaNow that you have read about the toddler asthma symptoms, is that all about it? is it enough to protect your toddler from asthma and its effects? You also need to know what to do in times of emergency. Taking the necessary precautions is an integral part of managing asthma. Here’s what you need to look for.

• Understand the asthma symptoms better. The may not be the same in every toddler. Look out for any signs of wheezing or persistent cough. Keep a track of the intervals at which the cough occurs.
• Regularly monitor your toddler for any signs of respiratory infections. Frequent bouts of infection can be a waring sign of reduced immunity and asthma.
• Risk factors like family history of asthma, parents who smoke, low birth weight, family members having allergies etc increase the chances of your toddler being affected by asthma.
• Write down any symptoms that you notice along with the timings at which they occur. Share them with your doctor. This would be of much help in determining the exact cause of the symptoms.

The number of people being affected by asthma is increasing with every passing year. Gain more knowledge about toddler asthma symptoms, causes, prevention, treatment and share it with others in order to fight the disease in its early stage itself.

My daughter has had a chronic cough since January, she's now almost 15 months old. We've had countless trips to emerg, walk-in clinics, and we are currently on our second pediatrician, who now thinks she may have asthma. Having severe asthma myself, I realize that she has a good chance of developing asthma, but her symptoms really don't appear to be asthma symptoms, and she has no allergic reaction – other than coughing – to our cats and dog (no sneezing, runny nose or itchy, watery eyes). She coughs more at night. anyway, our first pediatrician conducted a sweat conductivity test to rule out Cystic Fibrosis. Although we were told that the test was negative, we just found out from our new ped that it was actually borderline with a level of 46 (one of the many reasons for the second opinion!). What are other symptoms of CF? She has a very rattly chest, especially after eating, and has the chronic cough.

You may perhaps get her motion examined and dewormise the child under medical supervision.

Hi, Karla, you've gotten some very good answers already. Follow up on that sweat chloride test.
Because there are over 1500 known mutations of the CFTR gene, it is entirely possible that your daughter has pulmonary symptoms only, or that her gastrointestinal symptoms are mild (if she had CF, that is). I work in a CF clinic and I know a patient who has the most common CF mutation (delta F508) and his only symptom is nasal polyps.
But the only way to know is to get a follow up test. if the second test is borderline, then there's genetic testing to do, which will be definitive.
If your daughter does have CF, she will still be able to live a long and healthy life, as long as she (and you) do all the treatments needed.

Generally speaking, a positive sweat chloride test is distinguished by a reading of > 60 mEq/L. CF has both pulmonary and digestive symptoms, however the pulmonary symptoms are often more pronounced. in the pulmonary system, excessive mucus is the hallmark of CF.

I would get another sweat chloride test. a level of 46 mEq/L is above normal (10 – 35 mEq/L), but is technically not a "positive" sweat chloride test (this is where the discrepancy between the 2 pediatricians is most likely arising).

The good news is that we have come a long way in the treatment of CF. CF patients are living much longer than they ever used to, and establishing an early diagnosis and treatment plan predicts better success.

For your own peace of mind, I would consider consulting a specialist (perhaps a pediatric pulmonologist) and having another sweat chloride test performed.

It sounds exactly what my nephew had for the longest time. They also said it was Cystic Fibrosis. It turned out to be RSV. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection. I would have them check the baby out because its very contagious amongst kids. my nephew had it for at least 4 months before they figured out what it was. it usually only last about a week or two, but I have seen it last months. Here are the symptoms of Cystic Frosis from Mayo Clinic.

Signs and symptoms in newborns ( CF)
In some newborns, the first sign may be a blockage of their intestines (meconium ileus). This occurs when meconium — tarry, greenish-black stools normally passed by an infant during the first day or two after birth — becomes so thick it can't move through the intestines. other signs in newborns may include:

Failure to grow
Bulky and greasy stools (steatorrhea)
Frequent respiratory infections
Signs and symptoms in children and young adults
Cystic fibrosis symptoms in children and young adults may include:

Salty taste to the skin. People with cystic fibrosis tend to have higher than normal amounts of salt (sodium chloride) in their sweat. This may be one of the first signs parents notice because they can taste the salt when they kiss their child.
Blockage in the bowels.
Foul-smelling, greasy stools.
Delayed growth.
Thick sputum. It's easy for parents to overlook this sign because young children tend to swallow their sputum rather than cough it up.
Coughing or wheezing.
Frequent chest and sinus infections with recurring pneumonia or bronchitis.
Protrusion of part of the rectum through the anus (rectal prolapse). This is often caused by stools that are difficult to pass or by frequent coughing.
Enlargement or rounding (clubbing) of the fingertips and toes. Although clubbing eventually occurs in most people with cystic fibrosis, it also occurs in some people born with heart disease and other types of lung problems.
Cystic fibrosis may also be accompanied by:

Growths (polyps) in the nasal passages
Cirrhosis of the liver due to inflammation or obstruction of the bile ducts
Displacement of one part of the intestine into another part of the intestine (intussusception) in children older than age 4

and just in case, here are the symptoms list of RSV.

Cough.
Stuffy or runny nose.
Mild sore throat.
Earache.
Fever, usually at the beginning of the illness. a high fever does not mean the illness is more severe.
Babies may have additional symptoms, including:

A decreased interest in their surroundings.
Listlessness and sleepiness.
Fretfulness (irritability) and not sleeping well.
Poor feeding.
Apnea, where breathing stops for about 15 to 20 seconds. This usually occurs only in babies who were born prematurely and who also have a history of apnea.

I wish you best best of luck. God bless