COMBATTING ASTHMA IN CHILDREN: ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS – STEROIDS: OTHER MEDICATIONS – ANTIHISTAMINES AND ANTIBIOTICS
January 22nd, 2011 adminCOMBATTING ASTHMA IN CHILDREN: ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS – STEROIDS: OTHER MEDICATIONS – ANTIHISTAMINES AND ANTIBIOTICSAntihistamines. Antihistamines may be prescribed to dry up a post-nasal drip that can trigger an attack.Newer antihistamines also appear to have a bronchodilating effect. Besides, they do not cause drowsiness associated with earlier generation of antihistamine compounds.However, antihistamines dry up mucus thereby closing airways. If after taking antihistamines the attack becomes worse it should be brought to the notice of the physician.Antibiotics. These are useful in bacterial infections that complicate an original viral infection, or when there is considerable mucus.Antibiotics are also useful in treating sinus infection, such as sinusitis, if the secretions are dripping from the nose into the lung and precipitating an attack.Finally, antibiotics can be used in the treatment of bacteria which grows from the sputum which cause pneumonitis or other lung infections.Asthma Medicines: Some Important InformationPeople metabolize medications at different rates. To find out when your child’s medication will take effect, peak and then lose its effectiveness, ask the physician. If your child does not like to take medications, try to find out the reasons and try to overcome them. The fwer the number of pills to be taken at a time and the easier they are to take (e.g., not having to divide a pill in half), better are the chances that the medication will be taken as prescribed.Mixing a bad tasting medicine with something tasty such as a piece of bread, candy or juice, helps.Certain medications, if taken before exercise or before encountering some allergen, can prevent an attack. Discuss this with your doctor.If asthma attacks often occur in the middle of the night, changing the schedule of medication can help. Sleeping on two pillows also helps.*69\260\8*