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Paediatrics • Respiratory • Ayurveda

Childhood Asthma

Asthma is the most common long-term illness in children. The airways are sensitive and narrow in response to triggers such as colds, dust, smoke and exercise, causing cough, wheeze and breathlessness. With the right inhalers, used correctly, almost every child can run, play, sleep and go to school normally. Every child with asthma should have a written action plan.

Asthma action plan

Asthma action plan zones Green zone, doing well: no cough or wheeze, sleeping and playing normally; take the daily preventer inhaler. Amber zone, getting worse: cough, wheeze, tight chest, or needing the reliever more than usual; use the reliever through a spacer as the plan says and see a doctor the same day if it is not helping. Red zone, emergency: too breathless to talk or feed, reliever not helping, lips blue, or very drowsy; give the reliever and call 108 or 112 now. GREEN — doing well No cough or wheeze; sleeping, playing and at school normally → keep taking the daily preventer AMBER — getting worse Cough, wheeze, tight chest, or reliever needed more often → reliever via spacer; see a doctor today RED — emergency Too breathless to talk or feed, reliever not helping, blue lips, drowsy → reliever and call 108 / 112
Ask your child's doctor to fill in a personal plan with the exact inhaler doses for each zone, and share it with the school.

Signs of asthma in children

  • A cough that is worse at night, early morning, with running or laughing, or that lingers for weeks after every cold
  • A whistling wheeze when breathing out
  • Breathlessness or a tight chest; young children may say their tummy hurts
  • In babies and toddlers: fast breathing, the skin sucking in between the ribs, difficulty feeding

Many young children wheeze with colds and grow out of it; asthma is more likely if wheeze happens without colds, with a family history of asthma or allergies, or with eczema. A paediatrician may use a trial of treatment, and in children over 5, breathing tests.

A cup of herbal tea beside fresh ginger, tulsi leaves and cinnamon sticks
Warm drinks such as ginger–tulsi tea are a traditional comfort for the throat and chest. They ease symptoms but do not replace inhalers, antibiotics or other prescribed treatment.

Inhalers & spacers

  • Preventer (usually a low-dose steroid inhaler) — taken every day, even when well, to calm the airways. This is the key to control.
  • Reliever (such as salbutamol) — opens the airways within minutes during symptoms. Needing it more than twice a week means asthma isn't controlled.
  • Always use a spacer with a puffer inhaler — with a face mask for children under about 4. A spacer gets far more medicine into the lungs. A home-made spacer from a plastic bottle can be used in an emergency.
  • Rinse the mouth or give a drink after the steroid inhaler.
  • Check the technique at every visit; bring the inhaler and spacer along.

Myths about inhalers

  • “Inhalers are addictive.” They are not. A child needs them because the asthma is active, not because of dependence.
  • “Inhalers are a last resort; syrups and tablets are gentler.” The opposite — inhalers deliver a tiny dose straight to the lungs, so they are safer than tablets and syrups.
  • “Steroid inhalers stunt growth.” At the low doses used, any effect on height is very small, while uncontrolled asthma itself harms growth, sleep and schooling.
  • “Asthma means no sports.” With good control, children can do any sport; a reliever before exercise helps if needed.

Triggers

  • Colds and flu — the most common trigger; a yearly flu vaccine is recommended
  • Smoke — no smoking at home or in the car; avoid incense, mosquito coils and cooking smoke near the child
  • House-dust mites, mould, pets, cockroaches; pollen
  • Cold air and exercise; strong smells; outdoor air pollution on bad days

Ayurvedic view

Strengthen digestion and immunity → reduce Kapha → calm Vata in the airways → a regular, warm routine.

Ayurveda describes asthma as Tamaka Shwasa, and its children's branch (Kaumarabhritya) stresses that treatment for children must be gentle and in small doses. The approach focuses on digestion, avoiding cold, heavy and Kapha-increasing foods when symptoms are active, protecting from cold and damp, and building resistance over time.

Ayurvedic care & safety

Never stop or replace a child's preventer or reliever inhaler with herbal remedies. Asthma attacks in children can become life-threatening quickly.
  • Warm foods and drinks; ginger, tulsi and turmeric in cooking are fine for most children.
  • No honey under 1 year.
  • Avoid oil nasal drops, strong steam or smoke-based remedies (such as herbal fumigation) in children with asthma — they can trigger attacks and cause burns.
  • Herbal preparations for children should only be given by a qualified Ayurvedic paediatric practitioner who knows the child's asthma treatment.

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Doctor photo

Dr. Suresh Babu

Pulmonology
📍 Chennai
Experience: 17 yrs