Asthma and How it Affects Us Emotionally, What to Do Then?

Being a parent can be a challenging feat. From the moment you are expecting an offspring to the moment your bundle of joy has finally come to see the world, and grows up in time to become the cheekiest yet most lovable child; it’s all hard work and indescribable effort for a parent!

Of course, another less spoken side of the challenges of being a parent is when your child is sick. Whether from a stomach bug, a common cold or more persistent illnesses like asthma. 

Parents of sick children carry a heavy load of physical and emotional burden that may not be understood by many, even from other parents’ in similar situations.

Asthma can affect children and parents emotionally

Being a parent is tiresome enough but being a parent to a child with asthma, where parents are always worrying about the next severe attack and what to do in cases of emergency? It has to be exhausting on the mind.

Mamas and papas, just know that you are not alone! We know the emotional rollercoaster that you may be going through.

Situations that may cause emotional grief in parents with asthmatic children

There are many situations and incidents that may take a toll on parents, even non-emergency situations.

Since there are a lot of factors that can trigger a child’s asthma, parents may need to take various drastic measures and sacrifice a lot to ensure the safety and health of their bundles of joy.

Some measures that may take a toll on the emotions of a parent and children alike may include:

• Giving away pets. There are only a few things that may be grievous and giving away a beloved pet may be at the top of the list. As furry animals will surely have pet dander and mites, this can trigger asthma attacks in a child or have them get healthier at a longer rate hence, it is only for the best that pets be given away.

• Having to miss school. Children and parents may feel disheartened by the fact that the child will have to miss a majority of school time, in the instance that the child’s asthma may be too severe.

• Unable to join physical activities. Asthmatic children may find it irritating and boring that they are unable to join in on physical activities such as sports or entertainment (dancing, motion sensor video games, etc.) for fear that it may trigger the child’s asthma due to being too active.
  
  
• Constantly being on high alert. For parents, they will constantly be on high alert which may take a toll on the parents’ mental health as their brain is constantly working and thinking for emergency cases where a child may have a severe asthma attack.

Parents, get some peace of mind!

We are certain that all parents of asthmatic children would want their child to grow up healthy, both physically and mentally. Apart from affecting the body, asthma does certainly affect the mind too, as mentioned above.

So, what can parents do to minimise the effects of asthma towards a parent and child’s emotions?

How to minimise the emotional effects of asthma

There are many ways for parents to explore and divulge how to minimise the effects ² of asthma on the emotions of both parents and children.

1. Talk to your doctor/pediatrician. 
   Doctors can discuss with parents for the available treatment options for their asthmatic children. Frankly, traditional treatment such as crocodile meat do not work! Parents should opt for medication that has been discussed with their doctors to ensure a safe treatment plan for their asthmatic children. There are different treatment options such as SABA (short-acting beta agonist), leukotrienes, oral corticosteroids (OCS) and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) ³ which could be recommended by doctors. Inhaled corticosteroids or ICS are one of the most effective controllers of asthma. Asthma is caused by inflammation of the airways, which also includes the upper respiratory tract and the nose and ICS can help to suppress the inflammation ⁴ by switching off the inflamed parts of the airway. Simply put, ICS can physically help reduce the effects of asthma on your children. ICS comes in many forms such as a metered dose inhaler, dry powder inhalers and even nebulisers so parents can discuss with their trusted pediatrician on which form is best for the child.
2. Trying out complementary therapies. 
   Therapy is wide and for everyone! Some people may opt out from talking to a professional due to feelings of discomfort. Hence, you can practise therapy and mindfulness at home with some simple breathing exercises (no pun intended!). Have your child divulge in the breathing exercises to benefit their asthma too!

3. Having a healthy diet. 
   Keeping watch of the foods you eat can greatly help reduce feelings of anxiety and may even boost your mood. For instance, foods that are high in sugar and cholesterol may add to the anxious feelings. It is also best to avoid highly processed food, caffeine and alcohol. Instead, parents and children can opt to look out for supplements that can help boost moods and keep your minds healthy!
   
4. Connecting with other parents.
   Parents, you may feel as if you are alone on the journey and that parents with similar situations may not understand. But, trust us, every other parent feels the same way too. If you feel as if you are highly burdened mentally and physically by the situation you are facing, it is best to look for and connect with other parents. Both parties can share experiences, stories and tips and tricks that may be beneficial.

5. Keep fit and active.
   While having asthma may prevent children from being too active, parents can still keep themselves busy with a few light exercises to boost their moods. Exercising can be a form of physical therapy, as exercise leads to the release of the “happy hormone” or more commonly known as dopamine. For asthmatic children, ensure that they have an action plan given by a doctor which will include the physical activities that thtey may be able to indulge in.

   

Without question, there are certainly more ways to keep the effects of asthma to the mind at bay. While it may not be easy to be a parent to asthmatic children to have the illness of asthma as a child,  it is certainly possible to minimise the effects of the disease either physically or mentally.

Note: This material is provided for educational purposes only.

Approval code: MY-11042_APR2023

Source(s):

¹ Childhood asthma. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-asthma/symptoms-causes/syc-20351507. Accessed on 20th March 2023

² Mental health and well-being when you have severe asthma. Asthma+ Lung UK. https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/severe-asthma/making-life-easier-with-severe-asthma/mental-health-severe-asthma/#:~:text=Breathing%20exercises%20like%20Buteyko%20can,for%20reducing%20stress%20and%20anxiety. Accessed on 21st March 2023.

³ Inhaled Corticosteroids: GINA Main Report 2022. Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention. https://ginasthma.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GINA-Main-Report-2022-FINAL-22-07-01-WMS.pdf. Accessed on 15th March 2023.

⁴ Inhaled Corticosteroids. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4033967/. Accessed on 10th April 2023.