Regular use of asthma prevention and treatment drugs for children, what are the long-term effects?

Reader Thu An, 25 years old, Female, HCMC: Doctor, can asthma be cured completely? My 2-year-old child often has asthma attacks. Will regular use of Salbutamol and Pulmicort affect his health later on? He has also been taking Montelukast for more than 6 months now. I am worried about the long-term effects of the drug. I hope the doctor can give me more advice.

Reader Thu An, 25 years old, Female, HCMC: Doctor, can asthma be cured completely? My 2-year-old child often has asthma attacks. Will regular use of Salbutamol and Pulmicort affect his health later on? He has also been taking Montelukast for more than 6 months now. I am worried about the long-term effects of the drug. I hope the doctor can give me more advice.

Dr. Huynh Thi Mai Ly - Department of Internal Medicine and Respiratory Medicine - South Saigon International General Hospital:

Hello Thu An,

The doctor sympathized with her concerns for her little angel. In her case, the doctor advised as follows:

Asthma or bronchial asthma is a chronic respiratory disease common in children and adults.

Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the airways, causing increased constriction, swelling, and increased mucus production. People with asthma often have symptoms such as wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, persistent cough, etc. In young children, asthma has different symptoms, affecting sleep and daily activities. Some severe cases have acute asthma attacks that require hospitalization.

Asthma is a disease that is difficult to cure completely. But asthma in children can be controlled by taking the child to regular check-ups, preventing the risk of lung damage, helping the child's lungs develop normally.

It is especially important to note that for children under 5 years old, asthma symptoms can be confused with symptoms of bronchiolitis, an acute respiratory infection that can be treated after the child turns 5 years old. If a child under 5 years old has symptoms suspected of having asthma, it is best for parents to take the child to see a pediatric respiratory specialist so that a specialist can accurately diagnose the disease and provide appropriate treatment.

Salbutamol is a bronchodilator that helps treat respiratory diseases such as asthma (bronchial asthma), acute asthma, chronic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Pulmicort (full name: Pulmicort respules) is an aerosol medicine commonly prescribed in the treatment of asthma and acute laryngotracheobronchitis.

However, regular use of Salbutamol and Pulmicort will cause some side effects, commonly: rapid heartbeat, hand tremors, stomach pain, muscle pain, sleep disorders, affecting children's health.

Meanwhile, Montelukast is a drug used to prevent and treat asthma or bronchial asthma, often prescribed in the mild stage of the disease, to prevent the symptoms of asthma. Montelukast also has common side effects, which need to be noted when used for children such as: headache, stomach ache, cough, diarrhea, etc.

In summary, all three of these drugs must be used as prescribed by a doctor, especially for young children diagnosed with asthma. Parents should not arbitrarily use drugs for their children and must closely monitor the side effects of the drugs on their children, thereby receiving timely advice and adjustments from the doctor.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/dung-thuoc-ngua-va-tri-hen-suyen-thuong-xuyen-cho-tre-anh-huong-lau-dai-ra-sao-post754320.html