Pediatric Asthma Management in Cincinnati, Norwood/Hyde Park, and Milford OH

Asthma treatment and long-term control are key to stopping children from having asthma attacks before they start. Treatment for asthma usually involves learning to recognize your triggers, taking the necessary steps to avoid them, and tracking your breathing to ensure your medications are helping to keep your symptoms under control. In case there is an asthma flare-up, you are able to use the quick-relief inhaler prescribed by your pediatrician.
 
Medications are often prescribed based on a number of things, including the child’s age, their symptoms, and if they have asthma triggers, as well as what has worked best for them to keep their asthma under control.
 
Long-term asthma control medications may be prescribed and help to keep asthma under control on a day-to-day basis while making it less likely that the child will suffer an asthma attack. These long-term asthma control medications are taken daily, and these medications may include:
 
• Leukotriene modifiers
• Combination inhalers
• Theophylline
 
Quick-relief medications are also known as rescue medications, as they are often used for rapid, short-term symptom relief during an asthma attack.

Quick-relief medications can also be used before exercise or playing a sport if your doctor recommends it. A few of these types of medications include:
 
• Short-acting beta agonists
• Anticholinergic agents
 
Allergy medications can help if your asthma is triggered or becomes worse due to allergies. Some allergy medications that may be prescribed include:
 
• Allergy shots
• Biologics

There are different types of asthma, and they are classified based on the triggers. A few of the types include:
 
• Allergic asthma
Allergic asthma is one of the most common forms of asthma. Many who suffer from allergic asthma also suffer from other allergic conditions, including food allergies, eczema, and allergic rhinitis.
 
• Non-allergic asthma
Non-allergic asthma does not require an allergic trigger or cause a flare-up for an attack to occur. While it is less common than allergic asthma, it still happens to many worldwide every year, and it is believed that non-allergic asthma develops due to environmental and genetic factors.
 
• Seasonal asthma
Flare-ups from seasonal asthma occur under certain conditions or during certain times of the year.
 
• Occupational asthma
Symptoms of occupational asthma become worse when working, or the symptoms improve when not working.
 
• Exercise-induced asthma
Exercise-induced asthma is triggered either during or immediately after exercise or other strenuous activity.
 
• Difficult-to-control asthma
Many do not believe difficult-to-control asthma should be a subtype or even a diagnosis. However, there are some whose symptoms are harder to manage, as they happen frequently, or they have life-threatening asthma attacks.
 
• Severe asthma
To be considered severe, symptoms must not improve with standard measures and medications. Symptoms associated with severe asthma are similar to those of mild-to-moderate asthma; they are just more intense and can be life-threatening.

A few of the most common asthma triggers that cause flare-ups in symptoms to begin include:
 
• Physical activity
• Cold air
• Air pollutants and irritants
• Airborne allergens
• Respiratory infections
• Certain medications
• Strong emotions
• Stress
• Sulfites and preservatives
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease

There is no cure for asthma. However, we have effective symptomatic and preventative treatments to manage the disease, and many kids will outgrow it as they get older. Asthma is one of the most common illnesses that disrupts children’s day-to-day lives. We work as the medical home to create an asthma action plan that is monitored and adjusted over time to prevent symptoms, control flare ups, and minimize the disruptions that asthma can cause.
 
Visit one of our specialists for the treatment of your child’s asthma. We have convenient locations to serve you. For more information, call us or request an appointment online. We serve patients from Milford OH, Hyde Park OH, Cincinnati OH, Blue Ash OH, Montgomery OH, Loveland OH, Mt. Orab OH, Newtown OH, and Kenwood OH.