Questions and answers about asthma or recurrent bronchitis in children

Is asthma the same as bronchitis? When should a child be treated with bronchodilators? How do bronchodilators work? In Guiainfantil.com we solve all your doubts about the treatment for asthma or recurrent bronchitis. The pediatrician Ivan Carabaño clarifies all those doubts and fears that parents ha

Is asthma the same as bronchitis? When should a child be treated with bronchodilators? How do bronchodilators work? In Guiainfantil.com we solve all your doubts about the treatment for asthma or recurrent bronchitis.

The pediatrician Ivan Carabaño clarifies all those doubts and fears that parents have about bronchodilators and corticosteroids to treat bronchial diseases.

Asthma or recurrent bronchitis in children

What is the difference between asthma and bronchitis?

Asthma is nothing but repetitive bronchitis, one term and another are synonyms. It is important to know that under 3 years of age, having asthma does not mean the same thing as in an older child. It does not have to be a problem for a lifetime, nor does the child have to be asthmatic in adolescence or maturity.

Is it normal for children to have bronchial problems?

Below 3 years of age, between 10% and 20% of children have recurrent bronchitis or recurrent wheezing

When should a child be treated with bronchodilators?

They are designed to be used on demand, that is, when the child needs them. They are usually prescribed in 3 circumstances: when the children have an incessant cough, if we hear their chest beating or if they have an increased respiratory work, that is, they sink when they breathe the part of the neck and because they sink the part under the ribs.

How do bronchodilators work?

As the name suggests, they expand the bronchi and they achieve this at the expense of relaxing the smooth muscles of the bronchial walls. When performing an inhalation, the bronchial tubes open and the air can circulate more easily.

What type of bronchodilators are there for children?

Pediatric age is usually used mainly in two types:

- Beta-adrenergic agonists: used in crisis or episodes of bronchospasm

- Corticosteroids: their purpose is preventive, they are used for a permanent period to avoid the intensity of the disease .

Doubts about asthma and bronchitis