Children with asthma and other lung diseases can and should participate in physical activities with peers. Physical activity is important for normal growth and development and for the child’s quality of life. . Remember that physical activity should be fun!

Asthmatic breathing problems (density) can be triggered or exacerbated by respiratory infections, allergies, irritants (eg. Cigarette smoke), cold and physical exertion.

By activity, you have to breathe faster. This gives a sudden heat and fluid loss in the airways. In those who have sensitive airways can lead to an asthmatic reaction. The exercise-induced asthma is physical activity the triggering cause of the density.

How strong reactions will depend on:

- Rate of asthma
- Day Form
- External factors, such as allergy-causing substances from bl. a tree, grass, animals, mites, irritants from perfumes and climatic changes that cold.

Some children with asthma is untreated or not adequately treated with asthma medications. Thus, many of these respiratory symptoms during physical activity. Some are better if they are treated with steroids, while others will continue to have problems and need additional medication, and adaptation to be able to hang with the physical activities with peers.

Asthma triggered by exertion can put severe limitations for the child’s play and the physical display and therefore provides a lower quality of life.

With the right medication and organization of activities should children with exercise-induced asthma could work on a par with peers. The activity must be pleasurable and arranged so that the child can master it and the risk of exercise-induced asthma is reduced.

Problems with participation in gymnastics hours because of asthma may not result in exemption. It is to make the child a disservice. In difficult cases, it is especially important to collect information / guidance from a doctor, physiotherapist, nurse or nurse about your child’s illness and what needs to be done for your child to participate.

Information about the child’s illness must be given to teachers, kindergarten staff and managers so that they may understand the issues and can arrange activities to give your child a chance to work properly.

Asthma treatment for children can be difficult, one normal question is: Our child has asthma, must we rid ourselves of our dog?

This is not an easy question! The answer is certainly not unique.

If proven allergy to fur animals should first be preventative advice not to acquire pets. Located at the child risk group, ie if the mother or father or both parents have allergies (see table below chapter on prevention) should also be reluctant to acquire a dog or cat.

Otherwise, we must mention the studies that have come in recent years showing that animals in the family when it is born a child, reduces the chances that this child is allergic. The theory is that it’s a kind of tolerance development for the animal, while bacteria and more from the animal stimulates the child’s immune system in a beneficial manner. Allergy development that is “not a desired track” of the immune system is then subdued. But all the results from the studies are not entirely clear and there will be a need for more research before or can recommend someone to acquire pets for preventing asthma and allergies.

Any advice on animal acquisition must be treated entirely separately. There are often many aspects of such cases. And remember that it may be difficult to get rid of a pet you have tied up close to.