Asthma attack: understand how boy died while playing on trampoline – Jornal Estado de Minas

A 10-year-old British boy died suddenly from an asthma attack while playing on a trampoline in Portsmouth, UK. The death occurred in March 2023, but the case gained attention again this week.

The boy’s mother, Belinda Dowling, said at the time that the boy was having fun at school with his brother and, suddenly, he got off the trampoline and went to meet her. “He came to me and said he needed his inhaler. I handed it over, but it didn’t seem to work and he started to panic,” she reported. Desperate, the mother called the ambulance service, but Warren was already turning “blue” and stopping breathing. His father even gave him a heart massage until help arrived, but it wasn’t enough.

Asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory diseases, along with allergic rhinitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The main characteristics of this lung disease are difficulty breathing, wheezing and tightness in the chest, short and rapid breathing. Symptoms worsen at night and in the early morning hours, or in response to physical exercise, exposure to allergens, environmental pollution and climate change.

Several environmental and genetic factors can generate or worsen asthma. Environmental aspects include exposure to dust and cockroaches, mites and fungi, climate variations and viral infections (especially respiratory syncytial virus – RSV – and rhinovirus, the main causative agents of pneumonia and colds, respectively). For genetic factors – characteristic of the person themselves -, family history of asthma or rhinitis, and obesity stand out, considering that overweight people are more likely to trigger inflammatory processes such as asthma.

Read: People with allergic asthma may be at higher risk for cardiovascular disease

The disease can be controlled and the Unified Health System (SUS) offers treatment. To do this, the guideline is for the patient to look for a Basic Health Unit (UBS). There, the healthcare professional will have all the guidance related to the treatment and prevention of crises, which includes understanding the symptoms and signs of worsening.

Is asthma curable?

Asthma has no cure, but with appropriate treatment symptoms can improve and even disappear over time. Therefore, it is essential to have correct and constant medical monitoring, as most people with asthma can lead an absolutely normal life.

Read: 10 things you need to know to live better with asthma

Can asthma kill?

Yes, asthma can kill in extreme and very rare cases. When the crisis is very intense and the correct treatment is not given, it can lead to death. If the person has any other clinical complication (health problem), the body may be even more weakened. If the first symptoms appear, seek medical attention immediately.

The symptoms

Asthma has very characteristic symptoms, but some of them can be confused with those of other diseases. For an adequate or safe diagnosis, the ideal is to seek out a healthcare professional as soon as you feel any discomfort.

• Dry cough
• Wheezing in the chest
• Difficulty breathing
• Rapid and short breathing
• Chest discomfort
• Anxiety

The diagnosis

The diagnosis of asthma is mainly clinical, obtained after consultation and evaluation by a doctor, but it is also confirmed by physical examination and lung function tests (spirometry). Whenever possible, the doctor will request a lung function test to confirm the diagnosis and classify the severity of each case. In children up to five years of age, the diagnosis is only clinical, given the difficulty of carrying out other functional and complementary tests.

During the consultation, the doctor will ask, among other things, whether the person has or has had recurrent episodes of shortness of breath and wheezing; if you have already used an oral or inhaled bronchodilator to relieve symptoms; if there are episodes of persistent coughing, especially at night and early in the morning; if you wake up frequently at night because of shortness of breath or coughing fits; if you notice any of the symptoms after exposure to mold, dust, animals, cigarette smoke, perfumes or after colds, laughing and crying; and if anyone in the family has or has had asthma, allergies or other respiratory problems.

The lungs of an asthmatic person are more sensitive, which means that external factors, such as dust, cause shortness of breath, which normally would not happen in someone who does not have the disease.

Possible complications

Asthma can trigger a series of processes that can result in complications, some serious.

The main complications of asthma are:

• Reduced ability to exercise or do other activities
• Insomnia
• Permanent changes in the functioning of the lungs
• Persistent cough
• Difficulty breathing, to the point where you need help (ventilation)
• Hospitalization and hospitalization for severe asthma attacks
• Side effects of medications used to control asthma
• Death

Risk factors

Risk factors can be divided into environmental and patient-specific factors, such as genetic aspects, obesity and male sex (during childhood). Environmental factors are represented by exposure to dust, viral infections, allergens such as dust mites, pollen, animal dander, cigarette smoke, chemical irritants and environmental pollution, climate change, vigorous physical exercise, emotional stress and even some types of medications.

When there is no way to avoid exposure, the patient can follow certain precautions, such as:

• Avoid physical activities outdoors, especially on cold days;
• Avoid low humidity or exposure on days with high pollution;
• Do not smoke and avoid closed environments with people smoking.

It is worth noting that some studies indicate that weight reduction in obese patients with asthma demonstrates improvement in lung function, symptoms, morbidities and living conditions.