Monday, May 9, 2011

Providing Care For Asthmatic Infants

Infants in the age group of two and below are also susceptible to asthma. But how can you tell whether your little infant has asthma. It is important to diagnose asthma at an early age and start corrective treatment else chances of it becoming a chronic disease are very high. Unfortunately the symptoms of infant asthma are so subtle that detecting it can be difficult. However, the advance in medicine is allowing doctors to diagnose asthma plus the fact that they also consider the family history makes diagnosis a possible task.

Parents need to monitor for signs of asthma and be on the alert. Symptoms in infants are common to that found in adults including wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. Additionally infants may also have other symptoms such as poor feeding and sweating. Once an infant has been diagnosed with asthma a doctor prescribes a course of treatment that includes medications to open airways and decrease inflammation.

Doctors may also recommend using an infant nebulizer that brings immediate relief. This acts within minutes and the effects last several hours. A nebulizer is a medical device that converts liquid medication into a fine mist, which is inhaled into the lungs. The treatment can be done in the hospital or at home. It is often used for medications prescribed to treat asthma, bronchitis or other respiratory ailments. With the right equipment, giving a nebulizer treatment to a baby can be simple.

You might also be interested in reading about a small volume nebulizer.

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