Asthma is quite a common problem that affects both young and old. It is caused by the inflammation of the airways which will restrict the flow of oxygen into the lungs thus causing an asthma attack. To date, there is no known cure for asthma but various drugs and medications have been developed to lower the chances of someone developing an asthma attack.

The two most common signs of childhood asthma are constant coughing and wheezing. Usually when a child has been running and playing, his breath comes out making a whistling sound which is known as wheezing. Your child can also experience tightness in the chest accompanied by shortness of breath.

Asthma treatment is a growing field in the health care community. That is because so many people, particularly children, are being diagnosed with the condition. An increasing number of families are looking for more innovative asthma treatment programs. In general, asthma treatment can be divided into two categories: systematic long-term control and quick-relief symptom medications.

Wheezing is not the most common symptom of asthma, but it is the most telling. If you hear a high-pitched whistling sound when your child breathes in or out, then chances are that something is constricting or blocking the airway. Wheezing may happen in other disorders and illnesses too, but it’s a definite warning signal that something is wrong. A doctor can administer breathing tests to figure out how much oxygen is getting into the lungs, and decide if your child has asthma or another condition that will need longterm treatment.

Treatment of asthma has now improved rapidly. The presence of inflammation of the airways, in all asthmatic patients, has given new direction to the treatment and control of the disease. Anti inflammation treatment is now widely used for management of asthma. Early in the course of the disease anti-inflammatory therapy using cromolyn or inhaled corticosteroids is done to reduce and to reverse the inflammation.

The best type of medication for the treatment of an asthma allergy involves a substance, which is able to decrease the inflammation of the lining of the respiratory system. Some of these medications function by decreasing the production of other chemicals, which cause inflammation and narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi and bronchioles. It is important to seek help quickly so this type of medication can be administered quickly in the event of an acute asthma attack.

The definition of asthma has changed. The emphasis should be on treatment of underlying pathology that produces symptoms rather than just the treatment of symptoms. Despite the frequency with which it occurs (5 to 22 per cent), childhood asthma is unfortunately not diagnosed correctly or soon enough. There is a tendency to relate the symptoms of asthma to infectious processes and mistreat the child with antibiotics.

Read about Asthma treatment, Asthma Symptoms and also about Chronic bronchitis and Hysterical asthma