• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Pediatric asthma

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Definition:

Asthma is a disease of the respiratory system, which causes swelling and narrowing of the airways. Pediatric asthma refers to asthma in children.

Alternative Names:

Asthma - pediatric

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

This article discusses asthma in children. For a more general discussion about the disease, please see asthma .

Asthma is commonly seen in children. It is a leading cause of hospital stays and school absences. Children with asthma may be able to breathe normally most of the time. When they encounter a substance that can cause problems (a "trigger"), an asthma attack (exacerbation) can occur. Common asthma triggers include:

• Tobacco smoke
• Dust
• Pollen
• Exercise
• Viral infections, such as the common cold
• Animals (hair or dander)
• Chemicals in the air or in food
• Mold
• Changes in weather (most often cold weather)
• Strong emotions
• Aspirin and other medications

In recent years, there has been a worldwide increase in the number of children with asthma. This trend has been linked to environmental factors, including air pollution. However, it is important to understand that indoor triggers can play just as much of a role as outdoor triggers in bringing on an asthma attack.

Children's airways are narrower than those of adults. This means that triggers that may cause only a slight problem in an adult can create more serious problems in children. In children, an asthma attack can appear suddenly with severe symptoms. For this reason, it is important that asthma be diagnosed and treated correctly. Some children may need to take medicine every day, even when they do not have symptoms.

• Review Date: 11/30/2006
• Reviewed By: Donald Accetta, MD, MPH, President, Allergy & Asthma Care, PC, Taunton, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.