Virtual Pediatric Asthma Treatments
Asthma attacks can be terrifying to watch, especially if your child has one for the first time. You may not expect them to enter a life-threatening situation if you were unaware they had the condition. Even if your child has never undergone an asthma attack, just the thought of one can cause severe worry when you see your child wheezing or coughing.
Your child can obtain the exact treatment they need through Pediatric Telemedicine, where a board-certified pediatrician can diagnose the problem before an attack ever comes. With an asthma action plan, these specialists can prepare your child for their long-term condition by showing them how to handle it. Virtual pediatricians not only treat your kids’ asthma initially but also treat them as they grow up into adults.
What is asthma?
Asthma is a lung disease that agitates your child’s airways, making it difficult for them to breathe. You may mistake asthma for allergies or a common cold early on since the symptoms are similar, but you can identify it more clearly as the condition progresses.
Triggers in your child’s life activate asthma symptoms and could lead to more dangerous episodes if you do not treat them.
- Infections that affect airways such as sinus infections, colds, and pneumonia
- Allergies to cockroaches, pollen, mold, pets, and other allergens
- Lung irritants such as cigarette smoke, cold air, chemicals, and air pollution
- Exercise in the form of sports, running, and cardiovascular activities
- Stress that results in anxiety from difficult situations and personal triggers
What are the symptoms of asthma?
There are various physical signs associated with asthma in children that you can watch out for to identify the condition. Even if you are unsure your child has asthma, a combination of these symptoms should make you suspect they have it. A board-certified pediatrician’s opinion is necessary during this early diagnosis stage to accurately name their condition and treat them before an emergency, not after.
- Uncontrollable coughing that occurs often, especially from exercising, playing, laughing, or crying
- Consistent coughing that does not disappear
- Nasty coughing that worsens after an infection
- Wheezing, rapid breathing, and trouble sleeping
- Breath shortness, chest contractions, and chest tightness/pain
- Difficulty eating/grunting while eating (infants)
- Tiredness, physical weakness, tight neck and chest muscles
- Avoidance of sports and exercise and stopping often to catch breath
Asthma vs. Allergies vs. Colds
It is easy to mistake allergy and cold symptoms for asthma at first glance since they share many of the same physical signs. However, there are clear distinctions you can find in each that separate one from another so you can discover what condition your child has. If you are ever unsure whether your child has asthma and you suspect they suffer from the disease, it is always wise to see a Telemedicine pediatrician.
| Condition | Age | Duration | Peak Time | Fever | Cold | Eczema |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allergies | Any | Seasonal/Year-Round | Seasonal/Year-Round | No | No | Likely |
| Asthma | 6 and Older | Year-Round | Early Fall/Winter | No | Yes | Likely |
| Cold | Any | 2 Weeks or Less | winter | Yes | Yes | No |
When to visit the ER with your child?
When your asthmatic child deals with negative symptoms severely enough, there comes a point when their life is on the line. In these frightening cases, you need to drive your child to an ER immediately for medical attention. You should still take them to the hospital even without asthma confirmation because these signs can kill your child without professionals to save them regardless.
- Halting to catch their breath mid-sentence
- Breathing through stomach muscles
- Severe wheezing and coughing
- Rising breath shortness with lowered wheezing
- Difficult walking or talking
- Their belly falls under their ribs when breathing
- Chest and sides double over while breathing
- Blue fingernails or lips, widened nostrils, sweating a lot
How Pediatric Telemedicine treats my child?
The first step your board-certified pediatrician will take to treat your child online is to get them assessed for asthma. They will refer you to local specialists who can conduct tests, such as a spirometry, where the doctor measures your child’s lung capacity for air and their blow rate. In addition, they could give your child a chest X-ray or even identify asthma triggers through blood tests and allergy skin testing. These asthma diagnosis tests will be at the disgression of your online pediatrician based on your child’s symptoms and medical history.
Once your kid receives an official diagnosis, a virtual asthma specialist can partner with you to create an asthma action plan. This plan is a medical strategy your pediatrician implements in your child’s life to help prevent asthma symptoms and save them in emergency situations.
The asthma action plan will inform you how to avoid triggers, what to do when physical signs worsen, and when to go to the emergency room. You can give your asthma action plan to responsible adults over your child so they are aware of your child’s lung disease and how to keep them healthy.
Finally, your Telemedicine pediatrician will schedule your child for regular appointments to check up on their physical health. They will review the asthma action plan, explain it to your child in a way they can understand, and make any necessary changes. Children with asthma suffer from the disease their entire lives, so your board-certified specialist will treat your child as they grow into adulthood.
An Affordable Asthma Solution for Your Child
Treating asthma can be expensive for your family, especially since your child deals with the disease their entire lives. We make sure your child gets the treatment they need with our $0 appointments at times that work for your schedule. Simply schedule online and you can get started with a board-certified pediatrician anytime and anywhere.