This article discusses asthma in children. For a more general discussion about the disease, please see asthma.
Asthma is commonly seen in children. It is a leading cause of hospital stays and school absences. Children with asthma may be able to breathe normally most of the time. When they encounter a substance that can cause problems (a "trigger"), an asthma attack (exacerbation) can occur.
In recent years, there has been a worldwide increase in the number of children with asthma. This trend has been linked to environmental factors, including air pollution. However, it is important to understand that indoor triggers can play just as much of a role as outdoor triggers in bringing on an asthma attack.
Children's airways are narrower than those of adults. This means that triggers that may cause only a slight problem in an adult can create more serious problems in children. In children, an asthma attack can appear suddenly with severe symptoms. For this reason, it is important that asthma be diagnosed and treated correctly.
Poisoning first aid (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Poisoning is caused by swallowing, injecting, breathing in, or otherwise being exposed to a harmful substance. Most poisonings occur by accident. Immediate first aid is very important in a poisoning emergency. The first aid you give before getting medical help can save a person's life. Reviewer: Jacob L. Heller, MD, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, Clinic. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Date: 01/08/2009
CPR - infant(Doctor-Reviewed information)
CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is performed when an infant's breathing or heartbeat has stopped, as in cases of drowning, suffocation, choking, or injuries. CPR is a combination of: Rescue breathing, which provides oxygen to the infant's lungs; Chest compressions, which keep the infant's blood circulating. Permanent brain damage or death can occur within minutes if an infant's blood flow stops. Therefore, you must continue these procedures until the infant's heartbeat and breathing return, or trained medical help arrives. Reviewer: Jacob L. Heller, MD, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, Clinic. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 10/06/2008
Temper tantrums(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Temper tantrums are disruptive or undesirable behaviors or emotional outbursts displayed in response to unmet needs or desires. They may also refer to an inability to control emotions due to frustration or difficulty expressing a particular need or desire. Reviewer: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 10/23/2007
Thumbsucking (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Thumbsucking is the process of sucking on the thumb for oral pleasure. It is a normal activity that peaks around age 1 and 2. However, if thumbsucking continues past age 4 - 5, dental problems may develop. Thumbsucking is most common when the child is hungry or tired. Some parents are concerned by thumbsucking and may even try to restrain the infant or child. In most cases this is not necessary. Most children stop thumbsucking on their own. When older children continue to suck their thumbs, it could mean they are bored, anxiety, or have emotional problems such as depression. Seek advice from your pediatrician if you are concerned. There is no definitive treatment for persistent thumbsucking, but there are several options you can try: Praise the child for not sucking the thumb; Use a thumb guard, if your pediatrician recommends one; Place a bitter substance on the thumb, but be careful NOT to use something that may be poisonous to a small child; Create a contract with the child, making a mutual agreement with goals and rewards; Use dental appliances as recommended by your health care provider (if the childs teeth and mouth are affected. Reviewer: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Date: 03/14/2009
Feeding disorder of infancy and early childhood(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A feeding disorder of infancy or early childhood is the failure of a young child to obtain adequate nutrition, which is reflected by weight loss or a failure to gain weight appropriately for development. See also: Poor feeding in infants Reviewer: Deirdre O?Reilly, MD, MPH, Neonatologist, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children?s Hospital Boston and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 10/11/2007
Discussing death with children (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Death is a concept that is difficult for a child to understand. Grieving adults are often confused and unsure how to respond supportively. Most children require many explanations and have many questions regarding death. "What happens when people die?" and "Where do they go?" are among the most common. Discussing death is extremely difficult for many adults. It requires recognition that death is a natural process for all people. Children may have problems visualizing death. They may develop fears about what happens after death, what death feels like, or what would happen to them if their parents died. Parents should attempt to openly discuss death with their children if they ask about it or if the situation requires. Death should be discussed honestly and in language that children can understand at their stage of development. A child's concept of death varies with age, and this must be taken into consideration. Age 0 - 2 years: Sees death as separation or abandonment; Has no cognitive understanding of death; Feels despair from disruption of caretaking. Age 2 - 6 years: Often believes that death is reversible, temporary; May perceive death as a punishment; Engages in magical thinking that wishes come true - may feel guilt for negative feelings toward the person who died, and think that was the cause of death. Age 6 - 11 years: Shows gradual understanding of irreversibility and finality of death; Demonstrates concrete reasoning with ability to comprehend cause and effect relationship. Age 11 years or older: Understands that death is irreversible, universal, and inevitable; Has abstract and philosophical thinking. Family members should know that showing feelings such as shock, disbelief, guilt, sadness, and anger are not only normal, but helpful. Sharing these feelings and memories of the person who died reduces the child's sense of isolation. Children need lots of reassurance that they will be loved and cared for by a consistent adult. They also must be assured that they did not cause the death, nor could they have prevented it. Grief is a process that unfolds over time. The initial shock and denial may change into sadness and anger that can last from weeks to months. Some children seem to show no emotional response to death, which can be disconcerting to family members. Some normal behaviors include: Shock; Crying; Sadness; Anger; Guilt; Increased clinging; Disobedience; Lack of interest in school; Sleep difficulties; Decreased appetite; Temporary regression to more childish behavior; Physical complaints. Signs of a problem or disorder include: Long-term denial; Repeated crying spells; Disabling depression; Suicidal thoughts; Persistent anger; Persistent unhappiness; Social withdrawal; Severe separation anxiety; Delinquency or promiscuity; Decline in school performance; Persistent sleep problems; Eating disorders; Long-term avoidance of feelings. Take your child to a doctor, mental health specialist, or clergyperson if any of these signs appear or persist. RECOMMENDED BOOKS ABOUT BEREAVEMENT Accident by Carol Carrick (ages 6 - 8; Beat the Turtle Drum by Constance C. Greene (ages 10 - 14; The Dead Bird by Margaret Wise-Brown (ages 3 - 5; The Magic Moth by Virginia Lee (ages 10 - 12; A Taste of Blackberries by Doris B. Smith (ages 8 - 9; When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death by Laurene Krasny Brown and Marc Brown (ages 4 - 8. GUIDELINES FOR CAREGIVERS How Do We Tell The Children? A Step-by-Step Guide for Helping Children Cope When Someone Dies by Dan Schaefer, Christine Lyons, and David Peretz; Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children by Bryan Mellonie and Robert Ingpen; Straight Talk About Death With Teenagers by Earl A. Grollman. RELATED TOPICS Death among children and adolescents; Fetal death; SIDS. Reviewer: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 05/12/2009
Childhood disintegrative disorder (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Childhood disintegrative disorder is a condition occurring in 3- and 4-year-olds who have developed normally to age 2. Over several months, a child with this disorder will deteriorate in intellectual, social, and language functioning from previously normal behavior. Reviewer: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 06/13/2006
Infant botulism(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Infant botulism is a potentially life-threatening disease in which the bacteria Clostridium botulinum grows within the baby's gastrointestinal tract. Reviewer: Deirdre O?Reilly, MD, MPH, Neonatologist, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children?s Hospital Boston and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 10/08/2007
Myelomeningocele (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Myelomeningocele is a birth defect in which the backbone and spinal canal do not close before birth. The condition is a type of spina bifida. Reviewer: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Greg Juhn, MTPW, David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by Deirdre O?Reilly, MD, MPH, Neonatologist, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children?s Hospital Boston and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (10/11/2007).Date: 12/12/2008
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