Frequently Asked Questions
Allergies, Medicine & Asthma Attacks
-
My 2-year-old son was recently diagnosed with asthma. Does that mean he also has allergies?
Some children with asthma do have allergies (dust mites, mold, pollen, cats, etc.) that trigger their asthma. However, many children with asthma do not have any allergies.
Watch for asthma symptoms in your child that may be seasonal (which may suggest an allergy to pollen) or following exposure to certain animals or moldy, musty areas. Talk to your doctor if you suspect that your child may have allergies that are triggering his asthma.
-
My doctor recently started my 5-year-old daughter on an inhaled steroid with an Aerochamber. Is it safe for her to be on daily steroids?
Yes, it is safe for your child to be on daily inhaled steroids. Inhaled steroids (such as Vanceril®, Beclovent® and Azmacort®) are excellent preventive medicines that work to reduce chronically inflamed airways.
Breathing in the medicine allows it to go right to the area of action—the inside of the airways. Because only a small amount of the medicine is absorbed into the body, inhaled steroids can be used for a long time with little risk of developing the serious side effects associated with oral (taken by mouth) steroids, such as Prelone® and Prednisone®.
-
How does weather or the time of year affect children with asthma?
In addition to being cold and flu season, the winter months can also increase asthma attacks in children. Children spend long periods of time indoors during the winter months. There, they are exposed to a variety of asthma triggers, including animals, dust mites, chemicals, viruses and bacteria that cause infection. In addition, when children are outside they are exposed to cold winter air, which also triggers asthma attacks.