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| |    An Introduction to Asthma by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Lynn Cates, M.D., F.A.A.P. If you have a child with asthma, you're no doubt well aware of the impact this disease can have on his life (as well as your own). But the effects of asthma stretch far beyond your own personal experience. The truth is, asthma is the leading cause of chronic illness in children under the age of 17 in the United States. In fact, an estimated 5 million children under the age of 18 years have asthma, and the disease affects more than 1 million under the age of 5. The medical term "asthma" describes a chronic lung disease characterized by a decreased ability to breathe easily. In the disease, the flow of air in and out of the lungs is obstructed in the branching tubes (airways) that carry air to the air sacs deep inside the lung. The larger airways, called bronchi, repeatedly branch into smaller airways called bronchioles, and it's the narrowing of these airways that causes the coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath associated with asthma. This narrowing is the result of a combination of things: the tightening of the muscles that surround the airways, the irritation and swelling of the lining of the airways, and the release of mucous into the airways. The activities, exposures, or conditions that trigger airway narrowing are different for each child. Fortunately, this obstruction to air flow is reversible, which means it can be relieved or improved with certain medications. Far-reaching effects The statistic is staggering: It costs nearly $2 billion a year--$3 billion if you include indirect costs such as lost wages because of missed work--to medically treat children with asthma. For individual families, this translates into substantial expenses for medications, and for some, frequent doctor visits, trips to the emergency room, and even hospitalizations. The episodes of wheezing or coughing that characterize asthma symptoms (typically referred to as asthma attacks) can, for obvious reasons, affect a child's ability to concentrate, sleep, eat, and be active. On average, children with asthma are likely to miss three times as many school days as children without asthma. These symptoms also can cause parents to miss both sleep and work. Finally, asthma, if not managed well, can negatively impact a child's self-image and self-esteem. Improving the lives of children with asthma Asthma presents itself differently in every child and so it can't be treated simply with any single liquid, pill, or inhaler. A tremendous amount can be done, however, to improve the quality of life for children and their families who live with asthma, not the least of which is having access to good information about the disease. If your child has asthma, you should realize that his symptoms can be treated; the disease itself, although not curable, is manageable, and it doesn't have to dictate what he is or is not able to do. The additional articles in this program are intended to help you better understand the many different aspects of living an active life with this treatable disease.
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