Kids and Asthma

[transDiMenTional]

My 3yr old son has symptoms of asthma. Is there anything I can do besides giving him ventolin? It would be great if he didnt have to rely on medications!

[_e_]

coltsfoot?]

[transDiMenTional]

Thanks E! Coltsfoot is one I had forgotten about, I will look into it..Ive actually got some coltsfoot laying around too!

Im looking for preventatives as well as things to takle the symptoms as they occur...

I will post info as i find it in my research but any input is still apreciated! ^_^

[jasemateau]

well my step mum has always said the sperm underneath fern leaves are a big no no, once we got rid of all the frens in our local control, my sis never got asthma again.

i had asthma up until i was 13, then i moved to melbourne (from qld) and never had it since.?????????

i dont know why my asthma went away, grew out of it............

but i think the different climate definatly was my solution.

[occidentalis]

There is a technique of excercises designed to change the levels of gases in the lungs and blood called the Buteyko method. My sister who had quite bad asthma when she was young used this quite successfully and now has mild asthma. She probably wouldn't have it at all if she had continued the excercises.

http://www.buteyko.co.nz/

http://www.nqnet.com/buteyko/

these websites look a bit dodgy, and the excercises themselves seem downright bizarre, but here are some papers showing benefits:

http://thorax.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/...t/58/8/674?etoc

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.f...2&dopt=Citation

Our results demonstrated a significant improvement in quality of life among those assigned to the BBT compared with placebo (p = 0.043), as well as a significant reduction in inhaled bronchodilator intake (p = 0.008). We conclude that the BBT may be effective in improving the quality of life and reducing the intake of inhaled reliever medication in patients with asthma. These results warrant further investigation.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.f...8&dopt=Citation

BBT is a safe and efficacious asthma management technique. BBT has clinical and potential pharmaco-economic benefits that merit further study.

3 years old might be a bit young to start as the excercises are quite demanding - I have strong memories of my sister running up and down the hallway while holding her breath. It also may not work for everyone, but consider it for the future.

[Rev]

Asthma runs in my family

but i dont have it

seeing as hw it also runs in my parteners family you might think my kids will have it

but i think not

the astma in both lines is STRONGLY environmentally influenced

smoking and air pollution trigger it

when my asthmatic family members moe to no smoking country areas it stops

find out if yours is too

if it is consider a move to regional centre with low air pollution

hey they say the average level of ' happiness' is higher there any way :D

i was in teh gold coast the other day and i swear the air STANK

it was biting at my throat and i wonder how people live in it

[foolsbreath]

I had it as a kid, It was environmentally related as I only got it in hamilton NZ but not in rotorua, could have been higher humidity that caused it,m or a type of tree (pollen) that was there, who knows, but I grew out of it, never suffered again

[elsee appleseed]

Elecampane..."asthma weed"

great for strengthening lungs and the conditions that target them, but Im not sure of dosages relating to a little person, but Im sure someone here knows the correct amounts who is qualified to give the advice?

Adults respond well to drinking the tea 2-3 times a day made from flat t-spoon of macerated root.

Best herb I've come across for asthma/bronchitis......tastes pretty ordinary though.

[transDiMenTional]

Thanks for that elsee! I will def check it out.

Here is a great site I found with lots of great pointers; Natural Asthma remedies

You wouldnt beleive the arguments I have been having with the carers at my sons daycare about me wanting to use natural approaches to treating his asthma.. They cant beleive that I dont want to give him those toxic meds he's been prescribed. I can understand their conscern, but there is so many better ways to treat asthma and indeed any ailment than with synthetic drugs that are pushed on us from doctors who think only of the $ benefits of their drug dealing.

Sure I am biased, being a student of naturopathy n all! But I have been getting great and much more long term results from increasing his EFA intake and using anti inflammatry herbs like licorice root when he has more acute symptoms. Also removing common allergens like gluten and dairy from his diet i believe has helped.

I must confess that I still do have his ventolin on stand by in case the need arises. But at least we dont have to rely on it... -_-

[transDiMenTional]

the astma in both lines is STRONGLY environmentally influenced

smoking and air pollution trigger it

when my asthmatic family members moe to no smoking country areas it stops

find out if yours is too

if it is consider a move to regional centre with low air pollution

hey they say the average level of ' happiness' is higher there any way :D

i was in teh gold coast the other day and i swear the air STANK

it was biting at my throat and i wonder how people live in it

I agree with this Rev. There is nothing I want more than to move away from the city. The irony is; In order for me to move away from the pollution I would need to buy a car and add to the pollution!

At least where I am, being close to the city I can ride my push bike everywhere.

[Rev]

yeah sure but the car issue is an ethical one

we arent debating the issue of private vs public schooling or orgain weet bix vs regular

this is ur kids health versus driving a car

i myself would give it further consideration

work out the real economics

[transDiMenTional]

yeah sure but the car issue is an ethical one

we arent debating the issue of private vs public schooling or orgain weet bix vs regular

this is ur kids health versus driving a car

i myself would give it further consideration

work out the real economics

True, though his 'asthma' only ever arises when he gets sick with a cold or something. It really isnt that serious.

It is defenatly an aim to one day get back to the country tho..one day.. -_-

[ramon]

I have heard a number of times over the last year or so that the increase in inflamitory diseases is linked to the number of parasites we have these days. The twist being that it is the lack of parasites which is casuing our inume systems to over react.

New scientist podcasts have had something on it and also the naked scientist podcast specifically the 13th of November 2005 has something on it.

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/html/shows/Archive.htm

[Rev]

yeah the least of my worries these days is pathogens

im immunised against all the big ones

and so are my kids, despite my protestations about them being given something like 5 vaccines in 1- crazy shit

i had words with my partner about that..

they are compromising the safety of vaccines for economics by allowing them to cram them all into one shot

the nurses have no ideas about side affects and dismiss you if you raise concerns

first it was MMR - one real vaccine (measles) tagged onto 2 bogus ones. mumps and rubella are such minimal threat that the major defence given for exampel in vaccinating males from rubella is 'herd immunity'

thats got all the appeal of fluoridation

im not against vaccines per se but i think one at a time please

give the body a chance...

and there is a real push for useless vaccines too - like chicken pox

its such a blatant marketing campaign of fear by the pharmas to get health pros and govts on side

everybody gets chicken pox and how many suffer past the acute phase? SFA

and this has always been the case, but now they are pushing for intervention

as always the best 'threats' to profit from are the ones that dont really exist. that allows you a free run in your fear campaign.

no , i welcome the odd pathogen

im blaise about washing the salad from the garden, the jungle pigeon shit on the roof and no doubt in my tank as well

still tatses 100 x sweeter than city water and as the country folk here say - just never look in your tank

[alkatrope]

I've read Cannabis is a bronchiodilator :D

[mescalito]

Most asthma sufferers are allergic to something so go for low scent stuff around the home,avoid sulphites especially in things like breads,pastries and chips and see how ya go .

[occidentalis]

Clean your doonas

In Europe people go to a lot of effort to keep their doonas clean and dust free. Shake em out, hang em out in the sun, generally get the air into them and keep the dust and dust mites out. In Australia people inc. myself don't seem to bother. A friend of mine said he threw all his families old dusty doonas away and purchased new expensive dust mite-free ones and all of the family are in better health.

[in_spirit]

I heard that really strong coffee will help during an asthma attack, not a preventer a treatment like you would use ventolin for i guess!!

Edited May 18, 2006 by evil