Asthma and Medications for Children and Teens and When They are at College or University

We used to say they would out grow asthma as they get older. But many children who are between the age 5-12 still have asthma in late and teens and in there twenties. Many children took steroid drugs for several years did see improvements but if they stop taking them the drugs they did not see any improvements.

There are so many medications on the market budesonide, inhale corticosteroid medication, nedocromil, albuterol, a bronchodilator, and oral corticosteroids that these children may take. Many children as they get older get bigger air ways so need medications to keep there air ways clear so they can breathe but not as strong medications as once thought.

Inhaled corticosteroids such as budesonide have been shown to be the most effective form of the anti-flammatory treatment for asthma by controlling symptoms and improving pulmonary function. This also lead to fewer hospital stays therfore fewer days in which additional asthma medications were needed and reduce the need for albuterol a fast acting drug for relief of acute asthma symptoms.

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Many children as they got older did better with age and did not seem to need medicine as much but these children still showed symptoms and therefore were primed to an attack if they got a bad cold or were exposed to significant weather changes.

Therefore parents and doctors still need to monitor there teenagers and when they are at college too. They need to pay attention because some these children will still need medicine and they have to be honest about that possibility. It is very critical the college nurses and doctors be aware of students who still have minor asthma.