Medicine for shortness of breath in children that parents need to know & bull; hello healthy

There are many causes of shortness of breath in children. Starting from trivial things like colds to asthma. Whatever the cause, shortness of breath in children must be treated appropriately and quickly. If allowed to continue, the symptoms of shortness of breath can turn into a more serious condition. The good news is, there are many choices of shortness of breath medications that are safe for children.

You can use medical drugs from a doctor or use natural ingredients that are in your home kitchen. What are you curious about? Come on, see the full review below.

Medical drugs to treat shortness of breath in children

In principle, the administration of shortness of breath medication for children is adjusted to the underlying cause. Therefore, the medication for shortness of breath that can be given to each child is not always the same.

We recommend that you first consult with your doctor to get a proper diagnosis regarding your health condition. That way, the drugs taken by children can work optimally and the shortness of breath they experience can immediately subside.

Here are some of the most common types of drugs used to relieve shortness of breath in children.

1. Bronchodilators

Bronchodilators are often touted as rescue drugs because of their ability to quickly relieve breathing.

This drug works to relax and loosen the swollen airway muscles so that the child can breathe more easily.

Bronchodilators are divided into two types based on their time of action: fast reaction and slow reaction. Rapid-acting bronchodilators are used to treat acute (sudden) breathlessness. While slow reaction bronchodilators are used to control symptoms of chronic shortness of breath.

If your child's shortness of breath is due to asthma or COPD, the doctor will usually prescribe bronchodilator medication. Bronchodilators are available in the form of tablets / pills, syrup, injection, to inhale.

Three types of bronchodilator drugs that are commonly used to treat shortness of breath in children, namely:

Beta-2 agonists (salbutamol / albuterol, salmeterol, and formoterol)
Anticholinergics (ipratropium, tiotropium, glycopyronium, and aclidinium)
Theophylline

2. Inhaled corticosteroids

Corticosteroids are drugs to reduce the effects of inflammation in the body, including in the respiratory tract. By taking this medicine, the inflamed airways will subside so that the air will be easy to get in and out of.

Corticosteroid drugs are available in various forms such as oral (drink), inhaled, and injected. However, inhaled corticosteroids are more often prescribed by doctors than oral corticosteroids (tablet or liquid).

This is because the drug that is inhaled can work faster because it goes directly to the lungs, while the effect of drinking drugs is generally longer because it has to be digested first in the stomach and then flowed into the bloodstream.

In addition, oral medications may also have a higher potential for side effects, such as an increase in high blood pressure or an increase in blood sugar.

Inhaled corticosteroid drugs for infants and toddlers are generally given through a nebulizer with a face mask or suction. Compared to inhalers, the vapor produced by the nebulizer is very small, so the drug will penetrate more quickly into the targeted parts of the lungs.

Examples of inhaled corticosteroid drugs that can be used to help relieve shortness of breath are budesonide (Pulmicort®), fluticasone (Flovent®), and beclomethasone (Qvar®).

3. Anti-anxiety drugs (anti-anxiety)

If the shortness of breath experienced by the child is due to excessive anxiety, taking anti-anxiety medication may be the solution. Anti-anxiety drugs work on the central nervous system to give them a calming or drowsy effect.

Anti-anxiety drugs should not be used carelessly. Make sure you give your child the anti-anxiety medication as prescribed by your doctor.

Some of the anti-anxiety medications that doctors often prescribe are benzodiazepines, chlordiazepoxide (Librium), alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam, and clonazepam (Klonopin).

4. Additional oxygen

In addition to the drugs above, shortness of breath in children can also be treated with the use of supplemental oxygen.

Oxygen is usually available in gas or liquid form. Both can be stored in a portable tank. You can generally buy liquid oxygen in a small, portable tank version at the pharmacy without having to redeem a doctor's prescription.

Before giving it to children, you should first read the instructions for use on the product packaging or brochure carefully. Don't hesitate to ask your doctor or pharmacist if you don't really understand how to use it.

5. Antibiotics and antivirals

If the child's shortness of breath is caused by a pneumonia infection, the medicine prescribed by the doctor will be adjusted to the microbes that cause it. Whether it's bacteria or viruses.

If the child's pneumonia is caused by a bacterial infection, the doctor will prescribe an antibiotic such as xorim (cefuroxime). Meanwhile, if the child's pneumonia is caused by a virus, the doctor can prescribe antiviral drugs, such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (relenza).

These two drugs do not have to be taken regularly as prescribed by a doctor. Do not stop or increase your dose without your doctor knowing.

Natural remedies to treat shortness of breath in children

Children who are short of breath can also be treated with natural medicines. However, it is important to understand that natural remedies are not always safe for everyone. If your little one has allergies to natural medicines, you should not try.

Here are some natural remedies that can be used to relieve shortness of breath in children:

1. Ginger

Ginger is known for its properties to warm the body and relieve nausea. However, that was not all. A 2013 study in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology revealed that ginger can help relieve shortness of breath.

In the study it is known that ginger has a therapeutic effect to treat a number of respiratory problems, including asthma. Because ginger can make the flow of oxygen into the body more smoothly.

Well, because of this effect, ginger can be used as a natural remedy to treat shortness of breath in children. Apart from being nutritious, this spice is also cheap and easy to process. Simply crush a medium ginger or two and boil it until it boils. Once cooked, add brown sugar, honey, or cinnamon to reduce the spicy taste.

2. Eucalyptus oil

Shortness of breath caused by asthma, sinusitis, and colds can be relieved by inhaling eucalyptus oil. Studies suggest that this essential oil has anti-inflammatory potential that can be used to reduce inflammation in the airways. Not only soothe the airways, this oil also helps thin the mucus that has accumulated there.

However, be careful. Before using it as a natural remedy for shortness of breath, make sure your child doesn't have an allergy to eucalyptus oil. Instead of curing, eucalyptus oil can actually worsen the child's condition.

Use a diffuser so that the oil can spread in the air and be inhaled by your little one. If a diffuser is not available, you can inhale steam from a basin that has been filled with hot water and then add 2-3 drops of eucalyptus oil.