What Is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that inflames and narrows the airways making it difficult for a child to breathe. It can cause shortness of breath and reoccurring periods of a musical high-pitched whistling sound as the child breathes, known as “wheezing”. Coughing usually accompanies the breathing difficulties at night or in the early morning.

An asthma attack can be triggered by an allergic reaction or some other form of sensitivity such as pollen, dry leaves, cats, smoke, air pollution, grass, dust mites and burning wood. Today, asthma is one of the most common long-term respiratory conditions found among children.

What Your Doctor May Tell You About Asthma

Your pediatrician may tell you that your child has had many of the risk factors for developing asthma such as:

• Family history of autoimmune diseases, allergies and asthma
• Second-hand smoke
• Poor hygiene
• Allergies

Your child may be given an inhaler with steroid medication for long-term control, prevention and management of acute asthma attacks. An inhaler is a device with a holding chamber to ensure that the medication reaches the lungs. Alternatively, your child may be given a nebulizer which is a machine that includes compressor tubing and a mask to deliver the medication. These steroid medications do slow down a child’s growth and are also addictive with devastating side effects from long-term usage, but your pediatrician will tell you this outweighs the risk of not being able to breathe.

If medications are unable to help your child, your pediatrician may suggest seeing a specialist such as an allergist or immunologist. The allergist may administer allergy shots (immunotherapy) to help with the allergies triggering the asthma attacks.

In certain cases, many doctors will suggest having an adenotonsillectomy, which is the surgical remove of the child’s adenoids and tonsils. Pediatricians will tell you that this procedure in most cases will eventually stop asthma completely.

Another Way to Think About Asthma

Asthma is an indication that the immune system is compromised and there are underlying imbalances that have resulted in inflammation in the bronchial tubes which needs to be identified and addressed.

One of the biggest culprits of asthma is dairy/casein. Sometimes, eliminating all dairy can have a dramatic effect on eliminating symptoms of asthma. There could also be other food allergens triggering asthma such as wheat, gluten, and eggs and airborne allergens such as mold, pet dander, pollen and dust. In addition to the elimination process of these allergens, dietary changes are necessary to treat and heal the gastrointestinal issues (leaky gut syndrome) and the microbiome.

Nutritional supplementation may also be used to improve the immune system and reduce the inflammation in the lungs. A key supplement often times overlooked is sulfur, a very important mineral needed for detoxification of the liver, elimination of allergies and strengthening the lungs. If a child has high levels of toxicity such as yeast, heavy metals, and other pathogens, then it is probably best to apply sulfur in a transdermal form or just give Epsom salt baths instead of using an oral supplement.

Detoxifying the body from yeast overgrowth, fungus, Candida, heavy metals, parasites, viruses, bacteria and other pathogens can collectively improve the immune system so that the number of food and airborne allergies are eliminated.

Identifying underlying imbalances, eliminating toxic overload and strengthening the immune system can eliminate allergies, reduce the inflammation in the lungs and reduce symptoms of asthma.

Asthma Healing Checklist

Use homeopathy specific for asthma:

• Ipecauana
• Antimonium tartaricum
• Arsenicum album
• Phosphorous

Consider using Schueller’s cell tissue salts which can be effective as well. Sequential Homeopathy is also very effective for asthma.

For an acute asthmatic attack:

Your child’s integrative practitioner might use lobelia — Indian tobacco (Lobelia inflate) — for an acute asthmatic attack. Three parts tincture of lobelia are mixed with one part tincture of capsicum (red pepper or cayenne pepper). Twenty drops of the mixture in water are typically given at the start of an asthmatic attack. This process is then repeated every thirty minutes for a total of three or four doses.

See a craniosacral practitioner:

Craniosacral therapy can effectively treat upper respiratory symptoms by removing blocks, releasing compression and alleviating stress and pain.

Ozone:

Ozone (through the ears) can help effectively heal bacteria in upper respiratory infections and strengthen the lungs.

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