Home > Medical > Asthma 7 ways to help your child avoid asthma Asthma has a very negative effect on children's lives, and parents should do everything in their power to prevent this disease from manifesting. Asthma is under recognised in SA Far too many South Africans are never diagnosed with the chronic respiratory disease asthma, which kills almost 300 people per million each year, according to a report. Many parents lack info about kids' asthma meds In a recent survey, under 50% of parents completely understood how to use their children's asthma medication and deviations from doctors' directions were common. Latest in Asthma Your 10-step asthma holiday checklist Don’t let asthma ruin your summer holiday. Whether you are travelling or embracing the summer at home, make sure you plan ahead. The difference between mild, moderate and severe asthma Your doctor will assess and classify the severity of your asthma according to the latest guidelines. load more Your Asthma Guide Asthma is a disease with symptoms of recurrent tight chest, wheezing or cough, triggered by different stimuli (allergens, cold air, smoke etc.) that respond to asthma pumps or nebulisers. The disease involves two major elements: chronic inflammation of the airways, and episodic tightness in the chest (bronchoconstriction). The airways of asthma sufferers become hyper-responsive and react very easily to these triggers by closing up (bronchoconstriction). Because the underlying airway inflammation causes this hyper-responsiveness, the main focus of asthma prevention is on effective and daily control of the airway inflammation with relief of bronchoconstriction only as needed. What is asthma? How is asthma diagnosed? How is asthma treated? How severe is your asthma? Ask the Expert Asthma Expert Professor Keertan Dheda has received of several prestigious awards including the 2014 Oppenheimer Award, and has published over 160 peer-reviewed papers and holds 3 patents related to new TB diagnostic or infection control technologies. He serves on the editorial board of the journals PLoS One, the International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Medicine, Lancet Respiratory Diseases and Nature Scientific Reports, amongst others.Read his full biography at the University of Cape Town Lung Institute Ask a question Questions posted to Asthma Expert questions answered by the expert Q: Shortness of breath at night posted on 02/07/2018 Q: asthma posted on 29/06/2018 Q: Sulfate sensitivity posted on 25/06/2018 Q: Struggle breathing, burning in chest and throat posted on 20/06/2018 Q: I am a 31 yr old man. Has asthma and on asthavent spray. posted on 12/06/2018 Q: I have SCA1 ad choke on my saliva. Will a salbutamol inhaler help posted on 09/06/2018 Q: Does stress worsen asthma? posted on 05/06/2018 Q: I would like to know whether i have asthma? posted on 27/05/2018 Q: What am I suffering from? posted on 27/05/2018 Q: Asthma medication posted on 19/05/2018 Q: Shortness of breath posted on 17/05/2018 Q: Shortness of breath and wheezing. posted on 13/05/2018 Q: How long does a 2 year old have to be on monti air treatment? posted on 04/05/2018 Q: coughing and shortness of breath posted on 03/05/2018 Q: Can asthma be healed 100%? posted on 27/04/2018 load more × Still have a question? Get free advice from our panel of experts Your question More detail Your name (optional) The information provided does not constitute a diagnosis of your condition. You should consult a medical practitioner or other appropriate health care professional for a physical exmanication, diagnosis and formal advice. Health24 and the expert accept no responsibility or liability for any damage or personal harm you may suffer resulting from making use of this content. I agree * You must accept our condition To prevent spam please solve this simple math problem: Forum Rules
