What should I do if my child has variant asthma?

Variant asthma is also called allergic asthma and cough asthma. It is a special type of asthma with chronic cough as the only symptom. Children have relatively low resistance, so the incidence rate of this disease in children is relatively high, approximately 0.77% to 5%. So, what should we do if our child suffers from variant asthma? Now let me explain it to you parents and friends.

Because children with asthma have persistent allergic inflammation in their respiratory tracts and swollen bronchial epithelium, the excitation threshold of the stimuli receptors under the airway endothelium is lower than that of normal people. Therefore, their sensitivity to various external stimuli increases, and asthma will occur at the slightest stimulation. Asthma is difficult to cure.

Cough variant asthma is characterized by:

1. Coughing lasts or recurs for more than one month, often occurs at night or in the early morning, worsens after exercise, and has little sputum;

2. Laboratory tests or other examinations show no obvious signs of infection or long-term antibiotic treatment is ineffective;

3. Using bronchodilators can alleviate the attack;

4. Have a personal or family history of allergies;

5. Exercise, cold air, allergens or viral infections can trigger asthma attacks;

6. Asthma is seasonal, often occurring in spring and autumn and recurring;

7. Chest X-ray shows normal or increased lung texture but no other organic changes.

If the child has the above characteristics and other related organic diseases are excluded, cough variant asthma should be suspected and the child should be taken to the asthma clinic for detailed examination.

The treatment of cough variant asthma mainly uses anti-allergic drugs: phenergan, ketotifen; cough and asthma suppressants such as aminophylline and mebutine; preventive medications such as bronchitis vaccine tablets can also be used. For some individuals who do not respond well to the above-mentioned drugs, glucocorticoids can be used for treatment, such as oral prednisone, or inhalation of Pulmicort aerosol or Becomitol aerosol. Generally, asthma will improve and cough will disappear.

Many foods such as fish, shrimp (sea fish), sesame seeds, shellfish, nuts (cashews, peanuts, etc.), dairy products and even wheat products can act as allergens and cause asthma attacks. In this regard, after identifying the allergens, you can try to avoid eating the corresponding foods, or foods that are highly suspected of being allergens, through dietary regulation.

Patients should not eat greasy foods such as pork and fish, otherwise they will produce phlegm. Patients who want to relieve cough and expectorate can eat some loofah, radish, citrus and ginkgo. You cannot eat irritating foods such as chili peppers and mustard. You can eat softer foods, small meals, and light foods such as mung beans, cucumbers, and grapefruits.