Just as the world looks bigger through the eyes of children, the air they breathe can create bigger problems for children who suffer of asthma than adults might experience. Children's airways are narrower than those of adults, and an asthma attack can appear suddenly with severe symptoms. Take this quiz to test your knowledge of pediatric asthma and check your answers below:
1. Asthma is commonly seen in children and is a leading cause of hospital stays and school absences.
A. True
B. False
2. One of the most common asthma triggers is:
A. Animals (hair or dander)
B. Aspirin and other medications
C. Pollen
D. Tobacco smoke
E. All of the above.
3. All of the following are symptoms of asthma. Which one of them is an emergency symptom?
A. Tightness in the chest
B. Difficulty breathing
C. Shortness of breath, even at rest
D. Cough
E. Rapid breathing
4. With proper treatment and a team approach to managing symptoms and triggers, most children with asthma can live a normal life.
A. True
B. False
5. Long-term control medications are used on a regular basis to prevent asthma symptoms, not for treatment during an attack. Which of the following is NOT a long-term control medication?
A. Inhaled steroids (such as Azmacort, Vanceril, AeroBid, Flovent) that prevent swelling in the airways
B. Leukotriene inhibitors (such as Singulair and Accolate)
C. Corticosteroids (such as prednisone or methylprednisolone) given by mouth or into a vein
D. Long-acting bronchodilators (such as Serevent)
E. Cromolyn sodium (Intal) or nedocromil sodium
Answers:
1. A. True. Children with asthma may be able to breathe normally most of the time, but can suffer from an asthma attack if exposed to certain triggers.
2. E. All of the above. Other triggers include dust, mold, exercise, changes in weather, chemicals in the air or food, and viral infections.
3. B. Difficulty breathing. Other emergency symptoms include a bluish color to the lips and face, severe anxiety due to shortness of breath, a rapid pulse, and a decreased level of alertness, such as severe drowsiness or confusion.
4. A. True. It is important for families to work together with health care professionals to develop a plan to properly care for their child.
5.C. Corticosteroids. Other short-term medications used to relieve symptoms during an attack are short-acting bronchodilators (inhalers) such as Proventil, Ventolin, and Xopenex.
Source: The Health Encyclopedia at http://www.sjchs.org/HealthInformation |
