This health tip is brought to you by Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento.

A health tip by Myrza Perez, M.D.; board-certified Pediatric Pulmonologist with Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento.

Allergies and asthma often occur together. In fact, allergy induced asthma is the most common type of asthma in the Nation.

What is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease in which the airways become sensitive to allergens. When exposed to an allergen the lining of the airway becomes swollen and inflamed, muscles tighten and mucus production increases. All of this leads to the airway tightening making it difficult to breath.

Asthma Symptoms

• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Trouble breathing or shortness of breath during exercise
• Fatigue
• Nighttime cough
• Noisy breathing

For many, asthma is often triggered by airborne substances such as pollen, dust mites or pet dander. If you have allergic asthma, avoiding the allergic substance that causes symptoms may help reduce asthma or totally control it.

There is a hereditary link to asthma. Children who have one or both parents with allergies have a high risk of developing allergic asthma. Although allergic asthma is the most common type of asthma, there are other forms and triggers. Asthma may be brought on by exercise, infections, colds or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).  During the winter time, the most common trigger for young children are viral infections or colds.

If your child has allergies and asthma symptoms talk with his doctor about treatment options. Knowing your child’s triggers and avoiding them will help keep allergy and asthma symptoms under control.

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