Q&A With Irina Dralyuk, MD, Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s
As the seasons transition from warm fall nights to cool and wintry evenings, children with asthma often experience a rise in wheezing or chest tightness, because weather changes and cold temperatures are often asthma triggers.
And for approximately 4.2 million children coping with asthma or other respiratory conditions, seasonal weather changes can pose severe, persistent, and potentially life-threatening risks. According to the National Institutes of Health, asthma is the most prevalent chronic childhood disease.
Irina Dralyuk, MD, a pediatric pulmonologist at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s, emphasizes the importance of controlling asthma in children through all seasons, as poorly managed cases can lead to serious complications.
“Every asthmatic will have their own sets of triggers,” said Dralyuk. “For some kids, it could be changes in the weather, allergies or dust, while others may be more sensitive to viral episodes like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or influenza that can lead to an exacerbation of their asthma.”
Ahead of the American Academy of Pediatrics 2023 national conference Oct. 20-24 in Washington, D.C., Dralyuk spoke with the Cedars-Sinai Newsroom about pediatric asthma and offers guidance on treatment options.
What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic condition affecting individuals of all ages, characterized by a recurring pattern of respiratory symptoms. These symptoms can vary in frequency, severity, and duration, and they differ from one patient to another. At its core, asthma involves heightened airway sensitivity to specific triggers, leading to a pronounced response known as bronchospasm. This heightened response can manifest as symptoms like coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath, albeit in unique combinations for everyone.
What are the signs of asthma in children?
You may observe a child who coughs in specific situations, experiences wheezing, or develops shortness of breath. These situations can include weather changes; cold temperatures; vigorous physical activity; exposure to dust, strong odors, certain animals; excitement; or emotional responses. Suddenly, you may notice the onset of respiratory issues in such scenarios.
What treatment options are best for children with asthma?
Treatment options for asthma vary based on the condition’s severity and insurance coverage. There are several approaches available, with two primary categories: rescue medications and controller medications. These represent the initial steps in managing asthma.
In cases of acute symptoms, where there’s bronchoconstriction or airway tightening, we turn to a class of drugs known as bronchodilators. One well-known medication in this category is albuterol. It acts swiftly, providing rapid relief during asthma attacks or acute symptoms. Albuterol’s effects are short-lived, but it effectively opens up the airways by targeting the smooth muscles.
During emergency room visits, albuterol is often administered to children, either through a nebulizer or an inhaler.
For individuals with exercise-induced bronchospasm, bronchodilators like albuterol can be beneficial before