Paediatric Asthma Flashcards
In what way are childhood asthma and adult asthma similar?
- Similar symptoms - Similar triggers - Similar treatment - Same pathology
What is the most important difference between adult and childhood asthma?
- NO COUGH IN CHILDREN
What other differences are there between adult and childhood asthma?
- Severe asthma is not a thing in children - Children don’t get occupational asthma
What are the 5 onsets of asthma?
- Infant onset - Childhood onset - Adult onset - Exertion onset - Occupational onset
What is “multiple hits” with reference to asthma?
- Can develop from multiple factors that all work together to “push you over the asthma line” - Can be caused by multiple different things
Give examples of the “multiple hits” that can all work together to result in asthma?
- Genes
- Inherently abnormal lungs
- Atopy
- Later exposures
What are examples of later exposures that have the ability to “push people over the asthma line”
- Rhinovirus
- Smoking
- Exercise
- Occupation
Why is spirometry and peak flow useless in diagnosing childhood asthma?
Many children already have a peak flow abnormality as it is NORMAL during development so these tests are very difficult to do
What is a wheeze caused by?
- Bronchoconstriction
- Airway wall thickening
- Luminal secretions
What sound do most people often associate with asthma but isn’t actually a wheeze?
- Rattle
- Stertor
When does shortness of breath play a part in asthma diagnosis?
If it occurs at rest
Why is it important to know if the patient has had a past medical history of eczema?
Eczema and asthma usually found together
What is bronchitis?
Inflammation of the bronchi
What are the symptoms of bronchitis?
- Loose rattily cough
- Noisy breathing
- Post tussive (cough) vomiting
- No malaise
Treatment for bronchitis?
- Rule out asthma with the cough
- “Watch and wait” technique
- Should clear up on its own
