I have decided to write about childhood asthma because it has now grown to epidemic proportions…
Health Alert: Unhealthy US Children. Asthma is the most common chronic disorder among children affecting 9.9 million kids under 18. 9.3% of kids have asthma.
-National Health Interview Survey Data, 2006
“It is the leading serious chronic illness in American kids and is one of the most common causes of school children being absent. It’s the third leading cause of hospitalization among children under the age of 15.”
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
WHAT IS CHILDHOOD ASTHMA?
Childhood asthma is a common lung condition in our polluted world that limits the ability to breathe and take in oxygen… our most basic survival need.
The emotions of fear and panic can take over when asthma is present, because we can’t live without air for more than a few minutes.
So it’s easy to understand why childhood asthma is one of the most frightening diseases - physically and emotionally - to both children and their parents.
The most important aspect of children’s asthma is the narrowing of the both the trachea (windpipe) and bronchial passages.
In childhood asthma, the airways overreact so things that may not cause breathing problems for most of us, will cause the airways to constrict in asthmatics.
When the airways are narrowed as a result of children’s asthma, the delicate membrane linings become swollen and inflamed, making it difficult and painful to breathe.
CAUSES OF CHILDHOOD ASTHMA
Childhood asthma may be caused by irritants from the environment like pollen, dust or even cold air. Or it could be from other asthma triggers such as infections, exposure to irritants (allergies – chemical & physical), and exercise. Whatever the trigger, in asthma and childhood cases, the airways become extremely irritated and overreact by going into spasm.
More than 50% of current asthma cases in the U.S. can be attributed to allergies. Allergies are an indication that the immune system is not functioning well. 30% of these are associated with cat allergies. -Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Another cause of childhood asthma is secondhand smoke exposure – a risk factor for new asthma cases.
Recent studies have suggested that in the children of smokers as well as kids born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy, that they have abnormally narrowed airways which may cause asthma and other respiratory disorders. -American Lung Association
Almost two-thirds of all people with asthma, experience their first symptoms – wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing, difficulty breathing and rapid heartbeat – by age five. -American Thoracic Society
This list does not mean that asthma is present. Please see your health care professional for more information.
Children with wheezing, coughing, and trouble breathing at the same time should seek medical attention to rule out asthma, especially children who have had an upper respiratory infection.
Also, a child who has frequent coughing, pneumonia or bronchitis should be evaluated for asthma.
REMEMBER, ASTHMA IS:
- An inflammatory condition of the airways caused by allergens, irritants and respiratory infections.
- Triggered by many different stimuli (asthma triggers) that activate an over-reactive airway system.
- Reversible and controllable (with only rare exceptions)
ASTHMA AND CHILDHOOD – HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS
There is gathering evidence that exposures early in life, including in the womb, to household chemicals may influence the development of children’s asthma. This large study provides some evidence that increasing exposure to household chemicals during pregnancy may be linked to an increased risk of children wheezing.
-Dr. Matt Hallsworth, Asthma UK
Researchers said, while their study suggested a link between prenatal exposure and wheezing, exposure after birth could also be a factor. Toddlers exposed to fumes from solvents and cleaning products at home are also at high risk. Wheezing can be a sign a child will go on to develop asthma.
Detergents are found to be responsible for more household poisonings than any other substance. Many cause dermatitis, flu-like and asthmatic-like conditions, and severe eye damage.
“Cleaning compounds are generally just tested to make sure that they don’t kill people or cause cancer. But, these products may not be safe for asthmatics to breathe in. And, if it’s not safe for asthmatics, it’s probably not safe for anyone else.”
-Dr. David Rosenstreich, director of the Division of Allergy and Immunology in the Department of Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in NYC.
For the health of your family, I strongly suggest you get rid of your household chemicals and find green cleaners that are safe, effective and economical. So many parents have helped their children’s asthma simply by getting rid of the toxic cleaners from under the sinks in their homes.
For an in-depth look at the dangers of common household cleaners from one Mom’s personal experience,
click: A Mom’s Story
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CHILDHOOD ASTHMA TREATMENT
There are different approaches when dealing with childhood asthma treatment.
The majority of medical practitioners will only tell you about the available drugs, not alternative approaches when treating asthma.
They have been taught to diagnose and then prescribe drugs, not to offer prevention advice.
Prescription asthma inhalers such as the drug Albuterol or steroids are the most common treatment.
When overused, these drugs can cause glaucoma, bone loss, strokes and they can become addictive.
“Traditional drugs used in treating asthma are often very toxic, addictive and sadly ineffective.
Drugs used for asthma don’t cure the disease; they simply stop the symptoms.”
-Dr. Andrew Weil - Natural Health, Natural Medicine
Control of asthma begins by learning which asthma triggers are key to your child. This is done through an individualized thorough evaluation through your health care provider.
The natural, alternative childhood asthma treatment lies in strengthening the body and the lung tissue so that asthma attacks decrease in frequency and in severity.
To reduce children’s asthma, remove from your child’s diet any foods the child may be allergic to.
Then to strengthen both the immune system and the lung tissue, try getting results from the following natural supplements: Beta carotene, Vitamin C, Vita E with selenium, Zinc, B vitamins, Magnesium and EPA and GLA (essential fatty acids).
Be sure to choose pure, natural supplements that are both money-back and quality guaranteed for optimal health.
According to research reported in The Journal of Clinical Allergy, those who took large amounts of EPA for 10 weeks had a 36.6% decrease in breathing difficulty.
The University of Nottingham in England found that high dietary magnesium is associated with better lung function, including a reduced risk of both wheezing and over-reactions of the air passages leading to the lungs.
A review of the available research shows that there’s mounting evidence that Vitamin C may protect against the wheezing, chest tightness and recurrent coughing of asthma. -Dr. Gary E. Hatch, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
This information is not intended to replace medical care. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure. This report is not to be used as a substitute for appropriate medical care and consultation, nor should any information in it be interpreted as prescriptive. Any persons who suspect they have a medical challenge should consult their physicians/pediatricians for guidance and proper treatment.
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For More Information click on:
Childrens Health Issues
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To read a list of all my articles in this blog, click: Here
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There are many areas of our well being that can be made better by just making a small change here and there. I decided to reach out to people interested in improving their family’s general health by offering some simple, helpful tips and intend to cover a wide variety of areas in children’s health.
I hope you find the tips useful and as a result, help improve the health of your family and our planet. Being involved in the health and wellness field over the past 28 years, I work to make a positive impact on the lives of my clients and their families in the area of wellness. It is my goal to help make a difference for anyone who desires improved health.
Sincerely,
Sarah
To contact me:
877-280-4188
There are many areas of our well being that can be made better by just making a small change here and there. I decided to reach out to people interested in improving their family’s general health by offering some simple, helpful tips and intend to cover a wide variety of areas in children’s health.
Do your children:
The nourishing nutrients have been removed. Instead use healthy whole grains and brown rice. The darker it is, the healthier it is.
H1N1 Swine Flu is currently spreading throughout the U.S. and the world and swine flu symptoms in children are soaring. In the U.S. this disease appears to have taken a more mild form, and those infected for the most part, have quickly recovered. 
