Expert Answers: Worries over allergic reaction to asthma

Asthma affects the airways of the lungs (the bronchi) and causes them to become inflamed and swollen. The bronchi are small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs.

In the UK, more than 1.1 million children have asthma, which is more common among boys than girls. Children who develop asthma at a very early age are more likely to "grow out" of the condition.

During the teenage years, the symptoms of asthma will disappear in approximately three-quarters of all children with the condition.

However, asthma can return in adulthood. If the childhood symptoms are moderate to severe, it is more likely the condition will return.

Irritation of the bronchi

The bronchi of children with asthma are more sensitive than those of children without the condition, and certain substances or triggers can irritate them.

Common triggers include house dust mites, animal fur, pollen, tobacco smoke, cold air and chest infections.

When the bronchi become irritated, they narrow, the muscles around them tighten, and there may be an increase in the production of sticky mucus, or phlegm.

Your child may find breathing difficult, their chest may feel tight, and they may experience wheezing and coughing.

The severity of asthma symptoms differ from child to child but the narrowing of the airways is usually reversible, either naturally or by using medicines.

Common triggers

The cause of asthma is not fully understood, but it is thought that it may be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Asthma often runs in families, and it is possible to inherit the susceptibility to the condition, which is then triggered by certain factors in the immediate environment.

However, symptoms may sometimes occur for no apparent reason.

Environmental factors that may trigger asthma include exposure to air pollutants, such as cigarette smoke, and certain substances that can cause allergic reactions (allergens) such as pollen and animal fur.

Relief and prevention

There is no cure for asthma, but there are a range of successful treatments which can usually manage the condition. The treatment of asthma is based on two important goals:

Relief of symptoms.

Preventing future symptoms developing.

Successful prevention can be achieved through a combination of medicines, diet, exercise and identifying and avoiding potential triggers.

Exercise-induced asthma.

Sometimes, children with asthma find that their symptoms are made worse through physical exercise. This is known as exercise-induced asthma, and is usually the result of poor asthma control.

There are more details at: www.nhs.uk/conditions/Asthma-in-children/ Pages/Introduction.aspx

Paul Charlson, GP from Brough

I think your son has atopic eczema, which is commonly linked to asthma.

This is not an allergy to a specific substance. Think of it more as dry itchy skin which has no grease protection, which allows anything to irritate the skin.

Your GP should be able to manage this himself but, if not, a dermatologist can advise.

The basic principles of treatment are greasing with lots of moisturiser. You can even get a body suit and put moisturiser under it for overnight wear.

Your GP should also be able to prescribe a steroid cream to use until the condition settles.

Soaps make things worse so avoid them. Allergy testing is usually pointless. Just look up atopic eczema on websites and the information is there.

Elaine Douglas, A chartered psychologist who specialises in family and child relationships

My daughter suffered from asthma and allergies when young and it was heartbreaking to see her suffer and be in such discomfort.

On a positive front, she eventually grew out of most of the allergies, etc, as many children do. However, dealing with the here and now is the problem. You said that your doctor will refer him to a specialist, which is excellent and something well worth going ahead with.

You say that you want to learn as much as you can about his difficulties so that you can help your son, which makes sense, but I am not sure whether you want to take this on board without talking to a professional first. If you try to deal with this yourself without understanding exactly what his allergies are, you may not be helping your son as much as you would want to.

I think that if I were in your shoes, I would do as much research as I could and understand what treatments are available.

I would also look into what support is available locally and what form it takes.

Cary Cooper, Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health at Lancaster University

I don't really know how you tell the good support groups from the cranks.

I would go to the credible sources (eg, your GP, the national association featuring on allergies, etc) to find out.

Your GP should know which are the credible self-help groups or at least what body would know

about them.

The GP or specialist consultant should be your first port of call to find out what to do.

It is always useful to hear from friends and relatives about possible avenues of support but I would check with the doctors about the credibility of these suggestions before engaging with them.

Dr Carol Burniston, Consultant Clinical Child Psychologist

Has anything in the home changed recently, perhaps you have a new pet or have changed your washing powder?

Referral to the consultant mentioned

by your doctor will

enable further investigations to be done.

Allergy testing should reveal what is causing your son's rash and with that information, you should be able to avoid whatever it is as much as possible.

In the interim, it may be advisable to clothe him in natural fabrics such as cotton and avoid chemicals in shower or bath products and biological wash powders.

Keep an eye on your son's diet and notice if there is anything he eats which appears to make his itching worse.

If you wish to do your own research in the meantime, you can obtain information on www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Allergies or Allergy UK has a helpline on 01322 619898 and a website at www.allergyuk.org