What to do if your asthmatic child gets a cold

Asthma is a condition that is usually easily managed in children: most parents of children with asthma know how to control certain triggers. But what should you do when your asthmatic child gets a cold? Here's some advice that could help.

Asthma is typically a chronic condition that leads to inflammation of the lower airways. People with asthma may "whistle" as they breathe. Symptoms of an asthma attack may include, but aren't limited to:

• Coughing – especially at night
• Wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain

A cold, on the other hand, is a viral infection in the nose and throat. It usually affects the upper airways. Symptoms of a cold include:

• Runny nose
• Fatigue
• Coughing
• Sneezing

A cold is something you may feel as much in your head as in your chest. Asthma, on the other hand, affects only the bronchial tubes, so you feel it in the chest.

Asthma makes your respiratory system much more susceptible to irritation. When you have a cold, the body creates excess mucus. Although meant to carry germs out of your body, the excess mucus tends to clog up the airways and further irritate your lungs.

• If you have asthma the airways in your lungs are already inflamed, so you have greater difficulty drawing air into them. Add to that the stress of simply being sick and it's no wonder a cold can trigger an asthma attack or make existing symptoms (such as a chronic cough) even worse.

If your child has asthma, regardless of the severity, it's important to be prepared before your child actually gets sick – because all children get colds.

Make a plan
First, sit down with a qualified paediatrician and develop an asthma plan in case your child gets a cold.

• This plan tells you exactly how much asthma medication you can give the child and how often to help manage the cold symptoms.

Eliminate environmental triggers
When your child has a cold, you should eliminate as many environmental triggers as possible. That means you should:

• Dust and vacuum the house at least once a day to get rid of dust and dust mites.
• Smoke cigarettes outside to avoid bringing the fumes indoors.
• Block drafts of cold air. Cold air can trigger the symptoms of asthma.

These three things (dust, smoke and cold air) are among the most irritating as anyone who has asthma will attest.

Treat the cold symptoms
A cold will usually worsen the symptoms of asthma, which is why you should always treat the cold symptoms. Treatment includes:

• Give your child plenty of fluids and any over-the-counter medication approved by the doctor.
• If there is a fever, take steps to control it such as with tepid baths and using a fever reducer, like acetaminophen.
• Make sure your child gets plenty of rest.

If your child's symptoms get worse or you notice that your child is having difficulty breathing, don't wait. Seek immediate medical attention and/or call 9-1-1.

• The onset of asthma can be quite sudden and the severity of the symptoms very dangerous – especially if your child can't breathe.

The best course of action when your child has asthma is to reduce the risk of them getting a cold.

• Ask the doctor about a flu shot to help prevent influenza. The flu could weaken your child's immune system and make them more susceptible to a cold.
• Keep anyone who has a cold away from your child.
• Make sure everyone in the household practices good hand hygiene to avoid spreading the cold virus around.

Children commonly get colds. It’s how the body naturally builds immunity to these airborne pathogens. With a few simple precautions and some advice from your child’s paediatrician, you can potentially help to minimize the severity of your child's asthma symptoms.

N.B.: Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any exercise program, changing your diet or taking supplements of any kind. The general information in this article is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, instruction or treatment.