Exercise Induced Bronchoconstriction in Children
Bronchoconstriction is a condition in which the airways swell and narrow. The airways are the passages that lead from the nose and mouth down into the lungs.
Exercise induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is a narrowing of the airways that occurs during or after vigorous activity or exercise. When this happens, it can be difficult for your child to breathe. With proper treatment, most children affected by EIB can play and exercise as much as other children.
What are the causes?
The exact cause of EIB is not known. This condition is most often seen in children who have asthma. However, EIB can also occur in children who have not been diagnosed with asthma. EIB symptoms may be brought on by certain things that can irritate the airways (triggers). Common triggers include:
- Fast and deep breathing during exercise or vigorous activity.
- Very cold, dry, or humid air.
- Chemicals, such as chlorine in swimming pools or pesticides and fertilizers.
- Fumes and exhaust, such as from ice skating rink resurfacing machines.
- Things that can cause allergy symptoms (allergens), such as pollen from grasses or trees and animal dander.
- Other things that can irritate the airways, such as air pollution, mold, dust, and smoke.
What increases the risk?
Your child may have an increased risk of EIB if:
- There is a family history of asthma or allergies (atopy).
- While exercising, your child is exposed to high levels of one or more EIB triggers.
What are the signs or symptoms?
Behaviors and symptoms you might notice if your child has EIB may include:
- Avoiding exercise.
- Poor athletic performance.
- Tiring faster than other children.
- During
or after exercise, or when crying, there is:
- A dry, hacking cough.
- Wheezing.
- Trouble breathing (shortness of breath).
- Chest tightness or pain.
- Gastrointestinal discomfort, such as abdominal pain or nausea.
- Sore throat.
How is this diagnosed?
This condition is diagnosed with a medical history and physical exam. Tests that may be done include:
- Lung function studies (spirometry).
- An exercise test to check for EIB symptoms.
- Allergy tests.
- Imaging tests, such as X-rays.
How is this treated?
Treatment involves preventing EIB from occurring, when possible, and treating EIB quickly when it does occur. This may be done with medicine. There are two types of medicine used for EIB treatment:
- Controller
medicines. These medicines:
- May be used for children with or without asthma.
- Are used to maintain good asthma control, if this applies.
- Are usually taken every day.
- Come in different forms, including inhaled and oral medicines.
- Fast-acting
reliever or rescue medicines. These medicines:
- May be used for children with or without asthma.
- Are used to quickly relieve breathing difficulty as needed.
- May be given 5–20 minutes before exercise or vigorous activity to prevent EIB.
Treatment may also involve adjusting your child’s asthma action plan to gain better control of his or her asthma, if this applies.
Follow these instructions at home:
- Give over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your child’s health care provider.
- Encourage your child to exercise. Talk with your child’s health care provider about safe ways for your child to exercise.
- Have your child warm up before exercising as told by your child’s health care provider.
- Do notallow your child to smoke. Talk to your child about the risks of smoking.
- Have your child avoid exposure to smoke. This includes campfire smoke, forest fire smoke, and secondhand smoke from tobacco products. Do notsmoke or allow others to smoke in your home or around your child.
- If your child has allergies, you may need to take actions to reduce allergens in your home. Ask your health care provider how to do this.
- Discuss your child’s condition with anyone who cares for your child, including teachers and coaches. Make sure they have your child’s medicines available, if this applies, and make sure they know what steps to take if your child has EIB symptoms.
Contact a health care provider if:
- Your child has trouble breathing even when he or she is not exercising.
- Your child’s controller or reliever medicines do not work as well as they used to work.
Get help right away if:
- Your child’s reliever medicines do not help or only help temporarily during an EIB episode.
- Your child is breathing rapidly.
- You child is straining to breathe.
- Your child is frightened by his or her breathing difficulty.
- Your child’s face or lips have a bluish color.
