Ask the Doctor: Asthma in Children
You have questions on asthma in children, and AllerMates has answers… from the best and brightest doctors, of course! See below for our most commonly received questions, as well as what our featured doctor has to say about each.
Dr. Leonard Silverstein graduated from both Duke University and Duke University School of Medicine. He then completed a residency in pediatrics at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center and fellowship in Allergy and Immunology at Mount Sinai-NYU Medical Center. Dr. Silverstein’s expertise encompasses all allergic disorders with an emphasis on food allergy, asthma and allergic rhinitis. He is board certified in Allergy and Immunology. Dr. Silverstein is consistently named on many top doctor lists.
Q. Is there a chart or scale that shows what peak flow should be?
Answer.
Peak flow meters can yield variable results…or one might read 300 and another 250…it is important to establish the child’s normal value with his meter and proceed from there.
Q. Do we have to get rid of our family pet because of my child’s asthma?
Answer.
Pets can be an issue related to asthma in children. If the child with asthma is pet allergic, removing the animal from the home usually leads to significant improvement, though many families are unwilling to do this. HEPA air filtration in the child’s bedroom can be helpful.
Q. Can my child participate in sports and gym classes?
Answer.
We try as much as possible not to limit activity in patients with asthma. As long as its properly controlled, exercise should not be an issue… Most children with asthma will require a bronchodilator 30 minutes before exercise.
Q. How can we be sure we know all of my child’s triggers?
Answer.
Identifying all asthma triggers is challenging but routine allergy testing and a good medical history will pick up most issues.
Q. How do I know if my kid’s asthma is well controlled?
Answer.
- Has your child been waking at night because of his or her asthma symptoms?
- Does your child need reliever medication more than three times per week?
- Does he or she get wheezy or breathless, or have difficulty breathing during the day?
- Does your child’s asthma interfere with his or her usual activities?
If the answer to any of these is yes, your child’s asthma may not be as well controlled as it could be.