How to cure asthma permanently in a 4-year-old kid?

Question

Hi doctor,

My son, aged four years and four months, was born prematurely at 34 weeks. His current weight is 34.17 pounds. He always used to get a cough and sometimes a fever at intervals of every two to three months, especially during the last year. However, there is no other visible physical or mental problem because of his preterm birth. Recently, the doctor diagnosed, based on his stethoscope examination and repeated illness, mild intermittent asthma. However, we do not have any family history of asthma. His last six months' illness history and medication are attached here. Kindly go through it and reply to my queries. Based on the symptoms and background, can it be confirmed that my son is suffering from asthma? If it is asthma, is it the right course of medication in the initial stage? Do we need any other tests for reconfirmation, and start with essential medicines? Is it permanently curable? What are the dietary dos and don'ts for asthmatic patients? Are there any other better means of treatment in Ayurveda or homeopathy for complete treatment? Earlier, he was advised to take 0.2 teaspoons of Kidrich D3 (multivitamin) for three months. Can we continue this along with the present medicines? What about routine vaccinations like polio drops, etc?

Thanks and regards for your valuable advice.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Though your son is premature, it does not matter in the present illness. Let me first clarify to you that he is suffering from bronchial asthma. And anyone can have asthma without any family history. So, it is not necessary to always run in families.

To confirm the diagnosis, we do a spirometry test in children over six years of age. But as your son is too young, he will not be able to perform the spirometry. So, we have to make a diagnosis on a clinical basis. There is no other way to confirm. Now, we have made a firm diagnosis of asthma. Regarding the treatment, nebulization medications are only to be used in an emergency. Also, it is not advisable to use steroid syrup on a long-term basis.

The best treatment for asthma for your son is using inhaler medicines with a spacer. You start him on Budecort inhaler (Budesonide) 100 two puffs twice daily with Zerostat VT spacer. Both medicines are from the Cipla company. Ask him to gargle after each use of an inhaler. Multivitamins and cough syrup can be used as required. But stop Syrup Omnacortil (Prednisolone) by tapering the dose.

Use Asthalin nebulizer (Salbutamol) when required in an emergency only and not daily. You can give him his vaccines, even polio drops, while on inhaler treatment. There is no problem with it. The last thing to clear up for you is that asthma is a lifelong disease. We can only control the symptoms of asthma by taking inhaler medicines. It is an incurable disease.

In many children, asthma disappears as they grow; in many, it remains the same, and in some cases, it gets worse with increasing age. At this step, no one can predict what will happen to his asthma ahead. So for the time being, we must continue with the inhaler medicines. I have tried to give you an overall idea about asthma as much as possible after carefully reading the history.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.