Bronchial asthma
Pediatric asthma is considered the most common
chronic pediatric illness nowadays.
In Egypt: 23.2% of wheezy infant were proved to be real asthmatics.
Asthma prevalence among school children aged 5 :15 years, was
found to be :8.2%
30-70 % of
asthmatic children become symptom free or show improvement by adolescents or
early adulthood
Pediatric asthma is a
chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by: recurrent or persistent
bronchospasm.
Clinical symptoms including:
Wheezing, cough particularly at night or after exercise, chest
tightness, breathlessness.
Risk factors of asthma:
It is multifactorial
disease that has been associated with endogenous and exogenous risk factors :
Unmodifiable risk
factors (Endogenous factors):
1) Age:
50% of all cases begin
before the age of 3 years.&80% before the age of 5 years.
2 )Gender:
Before puberty the
prevalence is 3 times higher in boys than girls.
3) Genetic:
It is polygenetic
disease.
4)Atopy:
Increase IgE antibodies with contact with allergen.
Modifiable risk factors (Exogenous factors):
1)Environmental factors as:
-
Respiratory tract infections
-
Ambient air pollution
-
Environmental tobacco smoke
-
Bronchial hyper reactivity towards certain allergens as (pollen,
animal dander, fungi, house dust, mites)
-
Drugs as (B blockers, aspirin)
-
Low social class
-
2)Breast feeding:
-
-
It might delay the onset of asthma or actively protect children
less than 24 m of age.
-
3)Exercise induced asthma due to histamine release.
-
4 )Maternal cigarettes smoking and low birth weight
prevention
Primary prevention: to prevent the onset
of disease in susceptible individuals.
It is not possible in asthma .
Secondary prevention:
Early diagnosis of cases and treatment by
.Pharmacologic and non pharmacologic intervention
.A-.Pharmacologic intervention:
1-by use bronchodilators
2-treat co-morbid condition as( gastro-oesopheal reflux
,rhinitis ,sinusitis)
B-Non pharmacologic Intervention:
- Environmental control exposure:
To limit allergen exposures of the infants during the first
12 month of life.
1-Prevention of sensitization.
2-Immunization.
3-Allergen immunotherapy.
4-Physical training.
5-Chest physiotherapy.
6-Health education.
7-Prevention of infection.
Tertiary prevention:
Rehabilitation of diseased children
