Pediatric testing and treatment for pulmonary issues are offered at our medical practice.
Childhood asthma is a chronic pulmonary condition characterized by a child’s bodily response to inhalant allergens or triggers. Pediatric asthma causes increased sensitivity and inflammation in the lungs and airways.Â
Pediatric asthma may be caused by pediatric allergies.
About 8.3% of children in the United States suffer from some kind of asthma.Â
Common symptoms associated with pediatric asthma:Â
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Excessive mucus production
Types of Asthma
- Mild/Intermittent Asthma: Mild/Intermittent Asthma is characterized by asthmatic symptoms that occur less than two times per week. Asthmatic symptoms effectively subside after administering reliever medication.
- Persistent Asthma: this condition is characterized by asthmatic symptoms that occur more than two times per week (including night-time flare-ups). Persistent asthma contains several sub-groups that your best in class asthma allergy specialist doctor may place in. The three main sub-groups of persistent asthma are mild persistent, moderate persistent, and severe persistent. Severe persistent asthma requires more effort, as asthma preventers and reliever treatments are less effective with more severe cases of persistent asthma.Â
Allergic asthma is a chronic condition that affects the airways/lungs and results from exposure to an inhalant allergen. Asthma usually presents itself during childhood and 50% of childhood asthma sufferers make a full recovery by adolescence. While allergic asthma is not curable, it is treatable and manageable throughout life. Allergic asthma is commonly triggered by inhalant allergens or other airway irritants such as:Â
- Tree pollen
- Weed
- Dust mites
- Sulfur dioxide (typically found in drinks)Â
- Grass
- Medications such as beta-blockers, anti-inflammatories, aspirin, glaucoma eye dropsÂ
- Exercise in cold weather
- Laughter, anxiety, angerÂ
- Secondhand cigarette smoke
- Car exhaust fumes
- Domestic pets (dogs, cats, horses, birds)Â
More than 24 million people in the United States experience asthma at some point in their lives, including over 6 million children.Â
Non-Allergic AsthmaÂ
There is a wide variety of potential non-allergic asthma triggers that could be causing your child’s asthma flare-ups including:Â
- Exercise: Some patients suffer from exercise-induced asthma, usually exasperated by hot or cold air. Asthmatic children often experience exercise-induced asthma during or after playing or any other form of physical activity.Â
- Environmental Irritant(s): Individuals may experience asthmatic symptoms while at school or other regularly frequented environments that may contain inhalant allergens. These inhalant allergens could be the cause of your child’s asthmatic symptoms.
- Viral Respiratory Infections: Children may develop asthma from contracting a viral respiratory infection. In addition, viral respiratory infections may trigger flare-ups in children who already suffer from asthma.Â
Testing
- Skin Prick Test: During this quick, easy, and virtually pain free test one of our top notch board certified asthma specialist doctors mark your child’s arm in pen with an assortment of numbers that correspond to a particular inhalant allergen. A drop of each inhalant allergen is carefully placed next to its assigned number and a lancet is used to painlessly place the allergen just under the top layer of the patient’s skin. After 10-15 minutes, the skin is evaluated by one of our pediatric immunologists for any inflammation or itchiness (which indicates the patient may be allergic to the sampled inhalant allergen), the affected areas are measured, and anti-itch cream is applied to the tested skin.Â
- Specific IgE (immunoglobulin-E) Blood Test: This method involves the extraction of a small amount of blood from a patient that may suffer from an inhalant allergy. The blood sample is sent to a lab to identify and measure the patient’s level of IgE antibodies to the presumed inhalant allergen. This immuno-diagnostic test allows our top notch team of board certified pediatric asthma specialist doctors to provide you with a detailed overview of any detected antibodies that suggest your child may suffer from an inhalant allergy.Â
- Skin Patch Test: This treatment is easy and virtually painless. We apply a sample of an inhalant allergen beneath the patient’s top layer of skin under a “Finn chamber†(a skin patch that protects the affected area from external elements). The patient’s skin is evaluated between 48-72 hours after application to determine the presence of any inhalant allergies.
- Pulmonary Function Test (PFT): A pulmonary function test (also called a breathing test) may be performed by your child’s best in class pediatric allergy specialist doctor if your child suffers from asthmatic symptoms associated with inhalant allergies, specifically environmental allergies (indoor and outdoor) and allergic asthma.
Treatment
- Asthma Preventers: This type of treatment consists of inhaled steroid medication that helps prevent asthma flare-ups. This inhaled steroid medication usually comes in the following colors: red, orange, brown, or purple. Preventers reduce any swelling or redness in the airways and dry up mucus to remove any blockage that could cause respiratory symptoms associated with asthma. Commonly prescribed asthma preventers include Budesonide, Beclometasone, Mometasone, Ciclesonide, and Fluticasone. If your child suffers from asthma, one of our top rated pediatric asthma specialist doctors may prescribe your child an inhaled steroid medication as an asthma preventer. It is crucial that your child carries both a preventer and reliever with them at all times.Â
- Asthma Relievers: This treatment is utilized in the event that an asthmatic individual experiences an asthma attack or asthma flare-up. An asthma reliever comes in the form of an inhaled steroid medication (like a preventer) but provides immediate relief by relaxing the airway muscles, so it is easier to breathe. A reliever should be carried with your child at all times, as it can save your child’s life in the event of an unexpected asthma attack. Â
The sooner you schedule an appointment, the sooner you can experience relief!
Allergy & Asthma Center of Long Island
891 Northern Blvd.
Suite #203A
Great Neck, NY 11021
(516) 699-7790