asthma – Village Pharmacy of Hampstead

May 8 2017

Asthma Awareness Month

May is Asthma Awareness Month, and it’s our chance to help get the word out about this chronic disease that affects nearly 25 million people in the United States. In recent decades, the prevalence of asthma has been increasing, resulting in millions of urgent medical visits and missed days of work and school each year.
Asthma is a chronic, and sometimes fatal, disease in which the airways become inflamed from a variety of triggers in the air, like indoor allergens from dust mites, mold, and cockroaches, and outdoor air pollution. Once the airways become swollen and inflamed, they become narrower, causing symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing.
Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts during childhood. In the United States, more than 25 million people are known to have asthma. About 7 million of these people are children.
Asthma symptoms that start in childhood can disappear later in life. Sometimes, however, a child’s asthma goes away temporarily, only to return a few years later. But other children with asthma — particularly those with severe asthma — never outgrow it.
In young children, it can be hard to tell whether signs and symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath are caused by asthma or something else. Sometimes, what seems to be asthma turns out to be another condition, such as bronchitis, recurrent pneumonia or bronchiolitis. These and a number of other asthma-like conditions typically improve as children get older.
Children with more-severe asthma are less likely to outgrow it. Persistent wheezing and a history of allergies, especially to furry animals, also increase the odds that your child won’t outgrow asthma.
To understand asthma, it helps to know how the airways work. The airways are tubes that carry air into and out of your lungs. People who have asthma have inflamed airways. The inflammation makes the airways swollen and very sensitive. The airways tend to react strongly to certain inhaled substances.
When the airways react, the muscles around them tighten. This narrows the airways, causing less air to flow into the lungs. The swelling also can worsen, making the airways even narrower. Cells in the airways might make more mucus than usual. Mucus is a sticky, thick liquid that can further narrow the airways.
This chain reaction can result in asthma symptoms. Symptoms can happen each time the airways are inflamed.
Sometimes asthma symptoms are mild and go away on their own or after minimal treatment with asthma medicine. Other times, symptoms continue to get worse.
When symptoms get more intense and/or more symptoms occur, you’re having an asthma attack. Asthma attacks also are called flare-ups or exacerbations. Treating symptoms when you first notice them is important. This will help prevent the symptoms from worsening and causing a severe asthma attack. Severe asthma attacks may require emergency care, and they can be fatal.
It’s important to diagnose and treat childhood asthma early on. Work with your child’s doctor to manage your child’s asthma. A written asthma action plan can help you track symptoms, adjust medications and help your child avoid asthma triggers. As your child gets older, involve him or her in the development of the action plan.
Asthma has no cure. Even when you feel fine, you still have the disease and it can flare up at any time.
However, with today’s knowledge and treatments, most people who have asthma are able to manage the disease. They have few, if any, symptoms. They can live normal, active lives and sleep through the night without interruption from asthma.
If you have asthma, you can take an active role in managing the disease. For successful, thorough, and ongoing treatment, build strong partnerships with your doctor, pharmacist, and other health care providers.

Sources: NIH and Mayo Clinic.

August 3 2015

Back to School – Communication is the key

Village Pharmacy Blog allergies, asthma, diabetes

Many of us will have kids who are going back to school in the next few weeks. Most of us are excited to have the kids back in school, but for others there is a certain amount of anxiety for the child and the parent, especially if your child has asthma, allergies or type 1 diabetes. What if my child has an allergic reaction to something he’s exposed to at school? What if my child as an asthma attack? Will she know what to do? Will the teacher know what to do? Does your child need a Diabetic Medical Management Plan (DMMP)?
Usually, as part of the enrollment process or at the end of every school year, the school nurse will send home a medical form. The form will ask several questions for the parent as well as the child’s physician and usually include an area for the doctor to note whether or not the child can carry his or her inhaler or other medications. All 50 states have laws that protect students’ rights to carry and use medicines for asthma and severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) at school.
“More than 10 million kids under age 18 have asthma, and one in four suffer from respiratory allergies,” ACAAI President Dr. James Sublett said in a news release from the organization. “Many kids with asthma and food allergies don’t have a plan in place at school. An allergy or asthma action plan doesn’t do any good if it’s not shared with the people who can act on it,” he noted.
For children with diabetes, a DMMP is critical. Because no two people manage their diabetes the exact same way, be sure to have a plan that details the course of care for your child. Some type 1 diabetic students get their insulin using a syringe and vial, others use insulin pens, and still others have insulin pumps. Some students manage their diabetes independently. But younger or newly diagnosed students may need help with all aspects of their diabetes care. For this reason, doctor’s orders for school care need to be specific for student. Be sure to have a DMMP plan for your child and discuss the plan in detail with his or her teacher and school nurse.
Communication is key to ensure your child’s teacher and the school nurse know about your child’s condition and discuss the plan in case a reaction occurs. It’s important for teachers to know your child’s asthma and allergy triggers, as well as symptoms of hypoglycemia. Remember, talk to all of your child’s teachers including P.E. and art so they can understand the situation and know what to do in case of an emergency.
Most children, by the time they are in school, know what triggers a reaction and can identify symptoms to communicate to their teacher.
Children at risk for life-threatening allergic reactions from certain foods or insect stings should carry epinephrine auto-injectors and have them available for immediate use, the ACAAI said.
Many children with food allergies are able to identify what they can and can’t eat, but it’s helpful if other parents and your child’s friends know, too. Some schools have policies restricting treats for special occasions. If your child’s school does not, be sure to tell other parents and children what types of foods your child must avoid.
Communicating with all of your child’s educators is your key to an all around successful school year.