Managing Kids’ Asthma at School

Having a school age kids with asthma can make parents have double level of worry. They fear that their kids will have asthma attack at school. School nurses are trained to deal with students having asthma attack. However, it doesn’t make parents have less worry. Asthma attack can occur anytime so that parents need to do something more to make sure that their school kids have less risk of suffering from asthma. If your kids are start entering kindergarten or elementary school this year, you can follow these tips

Let the school know your kids condition

It's important for parents to let the school know about their kids’ asthma. The more school personnel are aware of your kids’ condition, the better. Your kids’ asthma attack may happen in classroom, hallway, school yard, or canteen. That’s why it's important for you to let as many school personnel as possible. Here are some of the lists of school staffs who must know about your kids’ condition. 

 - School nurse 

Talking to the school nurse about your kids’ asthma is very essential. It'll help her understand more about your kids’ condition and what to do about it. It'll also enable you to find out about the school policy and whether or not she'll be there all the time. Some school nurse work for several schools so that it's important for you who are in charge of the school clinic when she is not around. 

- Classroom teacher 

It's a must for you to let the classroom teacher to understand your kids’ condition. This teacher will be around your kids most of the time. As a result, he or she must know what to do when your kids have asthma attack. This condition usually will also affect the kids’ performance at school. Telling him or her about it will enable them to understand why the kids don't have well performance. 

- PE teacher

Kids with asthma usually can't follow physical education very well. Certain exercise can trigger asthma attack. That’s why you must tell the PE teacher about your kids’ asthma. Telling him or her will help you ease your mind when your kids have PE lesson. With this information, the teacher will look after them more closely.

Aside from those school personnel, you must also talk about your kids’ asthma with the school bus driver, school counselors, and other teachers. When you are talking to them, don’t forget to give them the copy of your kids’ asthma action plan. In consequence, if they have asthma attack at school, one of those personnel can take emergency action to relieve the attack.

Taking extra care at the right time

Asthma attack usually more frequent in windy or cold weather. Kids who are allergic to pollen will have higher risk of suffering from asthma attack when it's windy. Kids with asthma usually will have higher risk of getting the attack when the air is dry and cold. That’s why it's important for you to take extra care of your kids in fall and winter. At this time of the year, you must make sure that your kids take their medication properly. You'll also need to make sure that they bring their inhaler and asthma medicine to school. Be sure to make sure the inhaler still has the medicine in it. Another thing you must do is preparing healthy meals so that they can fight the asthma attack better. 

Asthma attack is not only triggered with allergens and weather. It may also be triggered by stress. Your kids may have higher stress level when they have exam. To relieve their stress, you must give them proper support. You may need to talk with your GP or school nurse to help your kids feel more relaxed when they are having exam.

When to let your kids stay at home

Due to the asthma attack, kids must miss the school. Stay home from their school for too long can make them feel left behind their friends. However, sometimes it's important for them to have proper rest to recover. 

Your kids’ asthma attack may be different from time to time. At times, it may be severe. And another time, it may be less severe. When they have severe attack, they must, of course, stay home from school. Here are some of the conditions that require them to miss the school. 

- When your kids have a fever over 100 F. In this condition, your kids will be hot and flush. 

- When they have breathing problems, such as breathing fast and can't speak in full sentences.

- When your kids are suffering from respiratory infection symptoms, such as painful neck gland and sore throat. 

- When they can't perform their usual activity. 

- When they suffer from chest tightness, wheezing, shortness of breath and coughing even after taking the quick relieve asthma medication. 

- When your kids’ peak flow score is below 80% after taking their medication.

Medication for asthma

All parents who have kids with asthma surely want their kids free from this condition on their entire life. Doctors said that asthma can't be cured. However, parents must not be desperate about it. Some kids outgrow their asthma as they are getting older. 

Your kids have higher chance of outgrowing their asthma if they don’t suffer any allergies, eczema, and asthma history in the family. But, if they suffer from these conditions, they'll have less chance to outgrow their asthma. You, as parents, can only help them to control the symptoms. 

The right asthma medication will help them to live better even with this condition. To help them have excellent health all the time, it won’t be wrong for you to consider natural medication. There are natural asthma medications which will help your kids avoid asthma attack. When you are looking for this particular asthma medication, be sure to choose one that is already proven. This natural medication is safe and has no side effect on your kids. In consequence, you can use it on your kids safely.

6 Recommended Foods to Cure Asthma

Asthma is a disease causing breathless condition in which air in the lungs is blocked to flow. It's not a serious disease causing death. But, it should be treated well to prevent further serious condition. To recognize asthma, you have to know its symptoms and causes. Unfortunately, the causes of asthma are not identified obviously. To prevent asthma attack more serious, it's recommended to eat healthy foods to cure asthma as well.

The Causes of Asthma

Though it's not known well, there are actually some things causing this disease. You must be aware of the causes.

Body Organ Infection

One of possible causes is lung and respiration infection that is generally attacking the top respiration channel like influenza. GERD disease can cause asthma in which gastritis gets up to the respiration so that it makes irritation to the top digestive channel. You have to concern more on those diseases as you get asthma.

External Factors

The external factors may become the main cause of asthma. Allergen is the example of external factors. You can get allergy of animal fur, dust, flower powder, and insects. Meanwhile, substance exposure in the air takes an important deal with the cause of asthma. For example, chemical smoke, cigarette smoke, and air pollution can be external factors. Weather condition supported by bad air quality and drastic air temperature change can influence your asthma attack.

The Other Factors

In addition, stress and emotion can be a cause of asthma. Physical activities take a deal with asthma as well. Certain drugs, for example, anti inflammation, no steroid, and hypertension are a factor of making asthma serious. You have to prevent sulfite-content foods and drinks because it gets worst asthma. You have to select the healthiest foods for asthma.

Coffee

There's a claim of a study in which coffee is able to be one of drugs to cure asthma. Coffee can be a kind of drug and medicine for this disease. The kind of coffee should be served without milk. The content of caffeine in coffee is actually effectively preventing and controlling asthma. This is caused that coffee is served when it's still hot and warm. It means that it's significantly to clean and relax nerves in your respiration channel. Though it seems to be great for handling asthma problems, the consumption of coffee should be wise. It must be drunk in a right dosage. It's allowed to drink coffee maximally three times per a day. Don't exceed the limit of coffee drinking frequency if you want to get beneficial benefits of coffee.

Apple

What are the other foods to cure asthma? The kind of fruit is effectively to treat asthma. One of the fruits is apple. Why is it? A study that was conducted claimed that pregnant women eat at least four apples per week actually has lower risks of suffering asthma. This is caused that apple contains quersetin that clinically proves giving extra protection to asthma. It's also affirmed that people drinking apple juice have low percentage of suffering asthma. Do you believe it? You must try consuming apple regularly to cure your asthma.

Tomato

A kind of fruit is still powerful to cure asthma attack. One of the fruits is tomato. Tomato is rich of good substances making it to be functional food to cure asthma. It reduces the symptoms of asthma significantly if you eat it routinely. The important substance is lycopene. Lycopene is beneficial to prevent lung irritation and treat asthma symptoms. When you include tomato for daily menu, make sure that you give high supply of raw tomatoes because it's bio available. Tomato also contains beta-carotene and vitamin C. The number of potassium is also quietly bigger than the other fruits. So, it's recommended to cure asthma.

Avocado

Avocado seems to be famously known high cholesterol reduce. But, this fruit is trusted to help curing asthma. Avocado is a part of food list with high concentration of glutathione. It promotes substance health with wide functions. Glutathione has proved to protect cells to the damage of free radicals and to detoxify strange substances like pollution. Next, with glutathione, antioxidant will never work efficiently. Avocado is also a source of vitamin E for asthma sufferers. It also has high concentration of L-glutathione to be anti-asthma substance that is famously effective to help irritation of systemic quells. In that process, it means that it's helpful to cure asthma.

Banana

Including banana in the list of recommended foods to cure asthma is the right option. It assists asthma sufferers breathe easily. In addition to lose weight effectively, eating banana every day can cure and prevent asthma. It has been studied to children eating banana. It decreases risks of asthma symptoms up to 34 percent. This result is actually not surprising regarding to the function of banana. This fruit is one of the best sources of pyridoxine. It's generally known to be vitamin B6 taking an important role in the production of adenosine trifosfat and molecules to relax muscle tissues on bronchus. It means that it's great for curing asthma.

Ginger and Mineral Water

The content of fibers and antioxidant on ginger makes it herbal drunk that is effectively to relieve respiration channel. Ginger also contains a relaxing substance that is greatly effective to reduce breathless feeling due to asthma. The ginger is possibly proceeded to be tasty drink in order to be able to consume every day. You may mix it with hot water and sugar to give taste. Drink it every day to gain magical benefits to your asthma.

Mineral water actually affects great for body health. Most of the diseases are caused by lack of water. One of the diseases is asthma. Asthma is often regarded to be a sign of body in which it gets dehydration. If it's not handled well, asthma gets more serious. To relieve respiration, you can drink much mineral water. Those are several causes of asthma and some foods that are able to cure asthma effectively.

Guidelines to Control Asthma at Your Workplace

Different from at home, people may face less control when they are at work place. At work place, specific allergens and irritants cannot be avoided and they may be harmful. Those will be caused the asthma symptoms such as wheezing, coughing and breathing shortness. Below you'll find four steps to avoid asthma at workplace.

Step 1: Minimize contact to allergens or irritants which lead asthma symptoms.

One best way to avoid asthma is to decrease the air pollution whether it's indoor or outdoor at workplace. You have to be able to identify the sources, remove them and make sure the windows and ventilation work well and the air can keep flowing. Those are the best steps to solve air problems at indoor building. If you can identify what can cause your asthma well then it'll be easier for you to work. People may think that workplace is not clean place and can worsen asthma. However, outdoor and indoor’s allergens and irritant have the same amount as essential as you consider them. The building can be the risk to asthma if it doesn’t maintain right.

· Know your asthma causes at work. You’d better to learn how to decrease your contact to allergens and irritants which can worsen your asthma. Avoid them as you can. At work, the asthma triggers usually are airborne dusts, secondhand smoke, mold, gases, cleaning chemical, pests such as cockroaches, mites and mice, and also stress. For outdoor workers, they can also have risks on asthma triggers. Commonly the triggers are from the air pollution specifically if the job is on the street or next to roadways. The triggers come from outdoor air which consists of particle pollution, ozone, sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxides, diesel and vehicle exhaust. 

  · Remove resources of damaging air 

 · Use cleaning products as safe as possible. Using traditional products for cleaning are better. But if you have to use more potent product for cleaning to work, you can use the alternatives which are friendlier to the environment. Your job may need disinfectant to get rid of microorganism. You can browse for cleaning product which can work well, cost-affordable and safer to your surroundings. But the problem is that safe for environment doesn’t mean safer for you. Check the chemicals used and whether they have certifications of Eco Logo and Green Seal or not. 

· Replace to more secure materials and machines. For some workplaces, they can change the dangerous products with the safer one. You can discuss with your employer if there is availability. The same way is for the machines. You can use machines which produce less dusts, mists and air pollutants. Switching the chemicals and tools will develop the quality of the air in the workplace. 

· Wear respiratory protective tool to prevent contact to the danger at workplace. When your job need you should be in dangerous air, you have to wear respiratory protective gear. Make sure to tag along the right procedure. You have to keep your lung healthy. 

· Keep away from tobacco smoke. The asthma symptoms can happen because of the secondhand smoke. Support your boss to have workplace which is free from tobacco smoke. If you are smoker and you have asthma, the right way for your health is to quit as soon as possible.

Step 2: Ask assistance from your healthcare team for your asthma symptoms.

Just right you are experiencing asthma symptoms, then see your health care. Actually asthma is the disease which can be decreased by two things. They are avoiding the asthma causes and getting asthma medicines from the doctor. It's essential to have the concerns of the symptoms and list all the questions about your asthma at work then consult with your health care. Below are some ideas to help in telling your doctor. You can write a diary or log of your symptoms you experienced at work and show it to your doctor. Then, you have to explain to your doctor about the latest symptoms and also place you work.

Step 3: Tell respiratory symptoms as soon as possible as something going wrong in ventilation and other equipment to your employer. The co-workers can be in danger too.

If you think your workplace is having unhealthy air and does these 3 steps.

1. Tell your employer and also building management about the problem. Make sure to follow the procedure to watch them and you should do documentation of your steps.

2. Consult your health care about the symptoms. Then you can report your symptoms to company’s health. Nearby health department should be informed as well. You can ask your company whether you or your company who will inform them.

3. Help the management in investigating the problem. It may spend much time. Your boss is the one who responsible legally to inform you about the hazards linked with your job. The employer has responsibility to provide the safe and health workplace.

Step 4: Look after your asthma. Visit your healthcare provider frequently, consumes medications as prescribed, and prevents environmental contacts which make your asthma worse.

Both young and old can have asthma. As people may know, asthma is the lung diseases which make people have difficulty in breathing. You cannot find exact treat for asthma. However, with good management and treatment, you are able to live as health and normal as other people. There are many things to assist. 

· Learn all about asthma. It's better to know more so that you can live with asthma well. 

· You can join in asthma basics. It's an online learning for adults which last about 50 minutes. You can learn asthma in more detailed. The participants can understand about how to recognize asthma triggers, value of asthma action plan and how to respond breathing emergency. 

· There are six steps to make your asthma will be under control. If you understand it well then you can manage your asthma well. 

 The employers surely are responsible to provide the health and safe condition especially healthy air at work place. There are laws which are about to protect the workers. However, the air quality problem is still happened. Make sure to report as soon as possible if you find the air pollution in your workplace.

Types of Inhalers and Comparison between Them

Living with asthma can be quite a difficult thing. However, the patients of asthma as well as the people living with them have learned to adapt with the condition. It’s important to be able to know the first steps to aid the asthma patients. Knowing the types of medication will also be helpful. Amongst all of the medications used for asthma, there are inhalers those will help delivering medication directly to the lungs. These are the most common medication used by a lot of people. As inhalers are widely used, this type of medication receives further development and getting better time after time

How Does Inhaler Work?

As aforementioned, inhalers are being used to deliver medication directly to lungs. It sounds simple and people can easily think that there's only one type of this handheld medication. That's actually not true as inhalers have types depending on how they deliver the drugs or medications. Basically, there are only two types of inhalers (three including nebulizers).

· Dry Powder Inhalers (DPI)

For the people who fear the chemical propellant in inhalers, this type of inhalers will be perfect. The medication used in these inhalers won't be push or propelled. In using this inhaler, users will need to breathe deep and fast breaths. That's the way to transfer the medication to lungs. Because of the need to breathe deep and fast, many people having difficulties to use it during asthma attack. There are three types of DPI to be found: the dry power tube inhaler, single-dose powder disk inhaler and the powder disk inhaler.

· Metered Dose Inhalers (MDI)

The inhalers in this type consist of pressurized canister filled with medication that will be fit into the plastic mouthpiece. Most of inhalers in this type will need the medication to be released by pushing the canister further into the mouthpiece or to put it simpler, it works like the spray can. Push the inhaler and then breathe the medication. In some cases, people use spacer. It’s the tool that holds medication in a tube between mouth and inhaler. It makes breathing the medication easier. Spacer is being used mainly by children.

A Comparison to Inhaler Types and Features

Dry Powder Inhaler	Metered Dose Inhaler	Metered Dose Inhaler (with Spacer)
Small size, convenient to be carried around.	Small size, convenient to be carried around.	Less convenient to be carried around.
Usage requires deep and fast breathing.	Usage doesn’t require deep and fast breathing.	Usage doesn’t require deep and fast breathing.
A little accident of breathing out can blow the mediation away.	There will be no problem from accidently breathing out.	There will be no problem from accidently breathing out.
It doesn’t need the coordination of breathing and medication release.	Some types require a little coordination of breathing and medication release.	Spacer provides easier way to coordinate breathing and medication release.
May cause medication stuck on the back of throat and tongue.	May cause medication stuck on the back of throat and tongue.	Less medication stuck on the back of throat and tongue.
It’s easy to tell if the device runs out of medication.	Some types don’t have a way to tell how many medication doses left.	Some types don’t have a way to tell how many medication doses left.
The single-dose type requires capsule loading for every usage.	It requires shaking and priming.	It requires shaking and priming as well as correcting spacer’s placement.
Mediation might clump because of high humidity.	Humidity doesn’t affect the medication in its canister.	Humidity doesn’t affect the medication in its canister.
Dexterity might be required to use the cocking device.	The usage of cocking device in general is not required.	The usage of cocking device in general is not required.

What Kind of Drugs Being Used for Inhalers?

Naturally, the medications inside of the inhalers are ones to treat asthma. In general, the medications will help patients of asthma to deal with their condition. The different types of medication will work differently. A lot of inhalers contain steroids such as the prednisone that will be good in treating inflammation. Bronchodilator is another type of drug that can be found used in the inhalers. This mediation will help asthma patients to open up the airways so they can breathe with ease. There are also inhalers those contain both of these medications. These inhalers are known as the combination inhalers.

The inhalers containing steroids are called as anti-inflammatory inhalers. They'll have steroids and help in reducing swelling and mucus of the airways as well as preventing asthma attacks. The medications include:

· Steroids like Alvesco, Aerospan, Asmanex, Qvar, Flovent and Pulmicort.

· Mast cell stabilizers (the cromolyn sodium)

The inhalers containing Bronchodilator are called Bronchodilator asthma inhalers. They are either the short-acting or the long-acting medications. These inhalers will help to widen the airways in order to ease the asthma systems such as coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing. The medications include:

· Combivent and DuoNeb inhalers those contain both of albuterol and ipratropium (can be given with help of nebulizers).

· Long-acting beta-agonists (Serevent and Foradil) contain both the long-acting beta-agonist as well as steroid including Advair, Dulera as well as Symbicort.

· Short-acting beta-agonists such as Ventolin HPA, ProAirHFA, Xoponex, and Proventil HFA.

What Type of Inhaler Will Be Suitable to Be Used?

Every individual may have the different requirements. One may be comfortable to use a particular type of inhaler while they not for the other options. In order to find out the true best inhalers to be used, it’s important to consult about this matter with the doctor. When a patient will choose an inhaler, it’s also important to know the correct way of using the inhaler. Sing the inhaler correctly is an essential thing in order to make sure that the correct dose of medication can be acquired. Ask the doctor to show the correct way of using the inhaler and talk to the doctor if problems arise. Pay attention to the expiration dates as well.

Pregnancy and Asthma

Having asthma during pregnancy can risk you and your baby’s health. You should know how to prevent and have medication safely. As you may know, asthma is the chronic condition of the lung. When you're pregnant, asthma has effect for your health and the baby’s. Here are some information you need to know about pregnancy and asthma.

Why you should be concern about asthma during pregnancy?

If you treat your asthma and control it very well during pregnancy, then the risk of the complications will be only a little and even there will be no risk. On contrary, if you control your asthma poorly during pregnancy, the risks of getting many problems are increasing. The risks can be severe morning sickness,complicated labor, vaginal bleeding, premature birth, restricted fetal growth,low birth weight and pregnancy complication such as high blood pressure which can be dangerous to other organ like kidneys. In more extreme risk, asthma can endanger the baby’s life.

Can pregnancy worsen asthma?

Asthma has four main categories starting from the least until the most severe. Pregnancy can make asthma becomes worse, get better or even remain the same. The research recommends that asthma complications during pregnancy have something to do asthma complications to pregnancy. Symptoms can cause asthma more severe and even become worse. However, if asthma is getting better then the improvement will gradually in the pregnancy growth. If asthma worsens, the symptoms tend to increase and you will consider it during week 29 until week 36 of the pregnancy. There's the possibility that some women have worse asthma symptoms and signs in their late pregnancy. Normally, it's because they stop to take the medication soon after they are pregnant. The changes in taking the medication certainly will affect your asthma will be worsened.

Is it safe to take asthma medication during pregnancy?

Many people understand that taking medication during pregnancy can influence the baby. The concerns are mostly about the use of systemic glucocorticoids along pregnancy. The use of those medications can be connected with the risk of the infant oral cleft, low birth weight, premature birth and preeclampsia. Those risks can be increased. But, mostly, asthma medications can be consumed safely during pregnancy. Moreover, it's better to still take asthma medications than to get asthma symptoms or its attack during the pregnancy. When you can get problem in breathing, then your baby may not get enough oxygen as well. If you need asthma medication to treat the symptoms when you're pregnant, ask the health care to give you the safest prescription for your medication. They will prescribe you the most suitable dosage. Consume the prescription of the medication. Don’t stop or adjust by yourself. The health care must control your asthma and they will depend on the medication type based on your symptoms. You can visit the health care on the prenatal of your pregnancy. For some considerations, you can consult with your family doctor or even the specialist of asthma during the pregnancy. If you start to have allergy shot before you're pregnant, you can maintain the shot throughout the pregnancy. Actually, having allergy shots isn't recommended for pregnant women. It can make the allergic reaction become dangerous. It's called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis throughout pregnancy can be very dangerous for the baby and mother.

Will I need special tests?

When you control your asthma poorly or you get better from severe asthma, your health care may suggest you to take the ultrasounds beginning in week 32 of the pregnancy. It's to see the activity and growth of your baby. If your asthma symptoms are continuously worse, the health care may suggest having electronic fetal monitoring. It's also called biophysical profile. It's the test of prenatal to see the baby’s well being. It's the combination of two tests which are the fetal heart rate and fetal ultrasound. Throughout the profile, the health care monitor the baby’s breathing, heart rate, movements, amniotic fluid level and muscle tone. You will be recommended to pay attention more on your baby’s activity.

What should I do to prepare for pregnancy?

Make schedule or visit your health care that will help you during the pregnancy. They can be your family doctor, pulmonologist, allergist or other health care team. They will monitor and check how well you can manage your asthma. Then they will recommend the treatment you will have before the pregnancy. It's because, for some cases, asthma symptoms can be increased during pregnancy.

What can I do to prevent complications?

The best way is you should take care of yourself so that you can take care of the baby. Here are some ways.

Have your prenatal appointments frequently.

Go to your health care frequently during the pregnancy. You can ask questions or tell your concerns. Keeping informed can relieve you because being anxiety can lead to asthma.

Take your medication based on the prescription. If you're doubtful with your medication, visit your health care and tell your concerns.

Avoid and control triggers.

Stay away from the smoke and other irritants such as pollen, mold, animal dander and dust. If your asthma triggers are physical activity, ask your health care to suggest treatment to ease the symptoms.

Control gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

GERD is the digestive disease which can make the asthma will be worse. If you have GERD, decrease the symptoms by putting your head more elevated of your bed, eating small portions of meal, waiting about three hours before sleeping after you eat and avoiding some foods which can cause heartburn.

Know the limits.

If you're a smoker, consult with your health care to assist you quit. Absolutely,asthma can be worsened by smoking and it's not good for your baby as well.

Realize warning signs.

Learn the sign and symptoms of your asthma. You should know if your asthma is worse. The signs and symptoms are chest tightness, coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath. Consult with your health care about home treatments and when you should need medical help.