Asthma :: Childhood Asthma – Homoeopathic Cure

In today’s time many children even infants are suffering from Childhood Asthma, and are put on Inhalers & Nebulizers . It is increasing at alarming rate whereas a proper care with appropriate Homoeopathic Treatment can Cure many youngsters and enable them breath normally without the aid of Puffs, Pumps and Nebulizers. Specially in Diwali days it aggravates because of Smoke and Air Pollution caused by Fire Crackers.

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs and airways. The course of asthma is punctuated by periodic acute episodes–attacks–in which the airways become partially blocked. The result is difficulty in breathing, coughing and wheezing. During an asthma attack, the muscles around the airways constrict and tighten down, and the lining of the airways becomes inflamed and swollen. An attack can last for many hours or even days , persistence of attack lead to condition called
Status Asthmaticus.

Many people with allergic asthma, also called Atopic or Extrinsic Asthma, also suffer from hay fever. Asthma in adults is less likely to be caused by allergy, and more likely to be associated with respiratory infections and emotional upsets. Non-allergic asthma is called Intrinsic Asthma,

Facts About Childhood Asthma:

Over 160,000 children aged 0-14 suffer from asthma annually. Among all age groups, children aged 0-4 years had the highest predominance. Though some children with asthma stop having attacks when they reach adulthood. Very often children suffering from Asthma are found to have been suffering from Skin disease also like Urticarea, Infantile Eczema, or Atopic Dermatitis also.

What Causes Asthma in children ?

Asthma is a complex disease with multiple causes. Asthma attacks are triggered by a series of factors, typically acting in concert with one another. Asthma has been called “a classic example of a disease caused by gene-environment interaction”.

Genetic & Family Background

A genetic predisposition is necessary for the onset of asthma. However, a genetic predisposition, while necessary for asthma, is not sufficient. Asthma attacks typically occur when a genetically predisposed child encounters one or more environmental triggers.

Histamine

The release of histamine might also be partly responsible for difficult breathing during an asthma attack.

Allergy

Allergies usually first appear in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood, but may develop for the first time later in life. Sometimes psychological factors, stemming from emotional conflicts, play an important role in allergy so that some allergies can be classified as stress-related disorders.

ALLERGIC MECHANISM

Mast cells in the mouth, nose, gut, and skin are ‘armed’ by the antibody protein immunoglobulin E (IgE), they can be triggered by the allergen, such as food or pollen and dust. This leads to an ‘explosion’ of histamine from the cell, which can cause itching, sneezing, wheezing, rash.
Diagnosis of an allergy can be made by skin testing or laboratory measurements of specific IgE in the blood.

Food Allergy and Intolerance

Food allergies can affect almost any part of the body giving rise to diseases such as eczema, asthma , and urticaria.

Common Food Allergens for Children

? Areated Drinks like Pepsi & Colas etc. Sply. Rasna
? Chocolates & Toffees, Gems etc.
? Ice Creams & Candies
? Puffed readymade Snacks like Cracks, Chips etc.
? Noodles , Maggi, Junk Food & Sauces like Catch-ups etc.

Synthetic Food Allergies

Widely used colouring agents, such as tartrazine (yellow), and preservatives, for example, potassium sorbate , as well as the basic foods, are common causes of food intolerance. Sometimes the more a person is hooked on a food, the more likely he or she is to be sensitive to it. Some food additives have been implicated in a form of hyperactivity that tends to affect children who eat a diet of processed foods. The following are some of the foods that can cause symptoms and the conditions that may result.

Indoor Air Contamination

Allergies often lead to asthma (although not all persons with asthma have allergies.) Asthma attacks are triggered by exposure to allergens such as dust mites, cockroach droppings, animal dander and mold among children sensitive to these allergens. In addition to precipitating asthma attacks, exposure to allergens may play a role in inducing the onset of asthma itself. Exposure to fungal and cockroach allergens is more common. Allergy can also be due to the Animal Pets like Dogs & Cat’s Hairs and Furs etc.

Exposure to Smoke

‘Passive Smoking’ is also an important and widely accepted contributor to childhood asthma.Children of parents who smoke have more asthma than children of parents who don’t smoke.

Insecticides & Pesticides

Certain insecticides may be triggers for asthma. Exposure to organophosphate pesticides disrupts the part of the nervous system that regulates the motor functioning of the lungs. Pesticides are among the preventable causes of asthma in children.

Cockroaches are the chief risk factor for asthma among children prevalence has increased. However, other changes may be increasing children”s exposure to cockroach and other allergens. Allergens in indoor air may be higher now than in the past due to increasingly tight, well-insulated buildings. Children also may be spending more time indoors. Finally, indoor air may be made worse by the increasing use of synthetic materials in homes such as synthetic rugs and pressed wood furniture that release toxic vapors into the air.

Outdoor Air Pollution

Evidence indicates that ambient air pollution, such as particulate matter and ozone, precipitate asthma attacks among persons with the disease.

Vehicle pollution is a complex mixture of thousands of chemical compounds. The significant components for childhood asthma are oxides of nitrogen, ozone, sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid, fine particulates, and carbon monoxide. Though introduction of CNG has definitely minimized this factor.

Do’s & Don’ts

1 Avoid the known Allergens
2 Avoid Sudden change of Temperature like Hot to cold or cold to hot.
3 Avoid Dust and Smoke.
4 Avoid Sour, Cold and Fried food & Junk food.
5 Avoid Exposure to Damp, Room Coolers , Mosquito Repelent coils & mats etc.
6 Avoid Unnecessary physical and mental exertion.
7 Ask to Do deep breathing exercise.
8 Give Steam Inhalation.
9 Take immediate treatment for Cold and Cough least it turns into attack.
10. Keep Nose, Ears and Throat infections under control, Sinusitis, Polyps,

Adenoids and Allergic Rhinitis should be treated at the earliest.

Many Preventive Measures

Prevention-oriented research is needed for relationship between trends in indoor and outdoor air pollution and trends in childhood asthma. A systematic examination is needed of the contribution of changing levels of air pollution to long-term trends in asthma.

Massive application of pesticides in the urban environment is not a good solution to the problem of insects and rodents in urban apartments. Many pesticides are neurotoxins. Integrated pest management, reduce indoor application of pesticides, can control roaches while at the same time drastically reducing children”s exposure to neurotoxic pesticides. Better home maintenance is essential. Proper maintenance is the only logical means for dealing simultaneously with insect pests, molds and fungi.

Surveillance:

The importance of access to health care and psycho-social factors.
Patient education on the proper management of asthma can reduce the number of asthma attacks in children . Critically important to asthma control is reliable and affordable preventive care for all children.

Conclusion

Although there remains much to learn about the causes of asthma, it is clear that the increasing severity of the disease is concentrated in urban centers among children who live in poor conditions. Still Homoeopathy offers a comprehensive, effective and safe mode of treatment to these children and can almost cure completely.

As Homoeopathy Ensures Health Safely by stimulating the Immune response of the diseased individual.The most effective remedies I found are Aspidosperma, Arsenic Alb, Ipecac, Antim Tat., Coccus Cacti, Senega, Blatta ,Cassia Sophora, Grindelia, Cuprum Ars and Pothos etc.

CASES

Miss J Kaur 10 yrs

C/O Recurrent Spasmodic Cough with Wheezing spells since early childhood. Cough associated with vomitings and fever. > Uses Inhaler less frequently now but feels suffocated at times had Fever in between but lasted for a short time.
Rx. Nat.Sul 3x Ars.Alb 30/tds x 1mth
10th Oct. 2003
Much better in general , Passed a Round worm in stool. Uses Inhaler only at Night and very occasionally during day time. O/E Chest – Clear
Rx. Nat.Sul 3x S/L
5th Dec.2003 Had an attack with Nasal blockage and Ronchi+

On enquiry reveled all started after eating Pastry, Chowmein, Dhokla, Samosa and Chips in a Birthday Party.
Rx . Cassia Soph Q Ars.Alb 30/qid
12th Jan 2004 Attack subsided much quickly and without the use of Inhalers.

Investigations .
Blood TLC 7400/cumm. DLC: P 50, L 38, E 8, M- 3, B 1 AEC – 528

Rx . Tub.200/1d S/L
9th Sept. 2004
Child absolutely fine no more attacks of breathlessness, Does not use any Inhaler now. Nasal polyp disappeared.

Final Investigations Blood Hb – 14.8 gm% TLC – 6300/cumm ESR – 9mm /Ist Hr.
DLC : P – 59 , L – 34 , E – 3 ,M – 3 ,B-1 AEC – 287.

Prof. Dr.A.K.Gupta
Sr. Homoeopathic Consultant
Director – OVIHAMS
J 158,Rajouri Garden,New Delhi 110027
Ph : – 25101989, M – 9811341238
E-Mail – guptahomoeo@rediffmail.com
Website – www.ovihams.com


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