Pediatric Asthma Clinic

Asthma is one of the most common conditions in the country and in children, the leading source of chronic illness. Symptoms can begin at any age but most commonly signs of asthma appear by the age of 5. When dealing with pediatric asthma, it is crucial to catch it as early as possible, ideally before an attack occurs. This is why pediatric asthma care is so important for your child and their development. Dr. Shukla’s pediatric asthma clinic in New York City is a dynamic and fully committed practice dedicated to treating and managing complex cases of asthma in children. His experience as a pulmonary specialist, background in sleep disorders, and allergy knowledge gives Dr. Shukla a unique blend of both training and understanding in dealing with children’s asthma problems. Get the best pediatric asthma care NYC has to offer award winning Dr. Shukla.

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According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, “An average of 1 out of every 10 school-aged children have asthma.” Not only is asthma one of the most common illnesses in kids, but it continues to steadily rise every year. This could be due to a variety of things including increased exposure to air pollution and secondhand smoke, more time spent indoors, or simply weakening immune systems. Unfortunately, there is no cure for asthma and symptoms have the potential to carry over into adulthood. However, with the correct care and treatment, symptoms can be managed and allow your little one a completely healthy and normal childhood.

What is Pediatric Asthma?

With childhood asthma, exposure to specific triggers in the air cause the inflammation of the airways and lungs, making it substantially more difficult to breathe. These triggers can range anywhere from an allergic reaction to pollen in the air to a respiratory infection, to physical overexertion. If severe enough, asthma hinders children’s sleep, school, and sports activity.

Common Risk Factors & Causes

Genetic predisposition
Strong allergies
Exposure to smoke and air pollution
Respiratory infections at a young age
Obesity

It is important to be extra aware of common triggers for asthma such as physical activity and colder air in the Winter months of the year. If left untreated, asthma has the potential to lead to complications. It is for this reason why asthma is the third leading cause of children’s hospital visits. Complications from asthma include extreme fatigue and sleep problems, permanently narrowed bronchial tubes, and severe asthma attacks. Also known as a bronchospasm, these attacks happen when asthma symptoms suddenly worsen. During an asthma attack the airways swell and tighten more than usual and mucous production increases, making it almost impossible to breathe in some cases. This understandably causes panic which leads to an increased heart rate and urge to breathe faster and the vicious cycle continues.

Symptoms Include:

Relentless coughing
Chest pain
Difficulty talking and breathing
Wheezing
Constricted neck muscles
Panic
Blue lips

Asthma attacks have been known to last anywhere from a matter of minutes to days on end. Although mild attacks usually subside on their own, severe attacks may require urgent medical care. If you think your child may have asthma or be prone to asthma attacks, it is in your best interest to have a reliable pediatric asthma doctor who you can trust. For the past 15 years, Dr. Shukla and his world class team have been specializing in pediatric asthma care in the NYC area. Cases and symptoms vary from child to child and that’s why Dr. Shukla believes no two patients should be treated the same. Visit our pediatric asthma clinic for personalized and reliable care to help your child breathe easier.

Diagnosis

The early and middle years of childhood are critical for lung development and because these are the years in which most of us are at our most active. This is why detecting and diagnosing asthma early is so important for kids. Because of the similarities shared with other infections, asthma can sometimes be difficult to diagnose. Conditions like Rhinitis (Hay Fever), Sinusitis (Sinus Infection), and respiratory tract infections all share symptoms akin to asthma. A lung function test can be performed by your doctor to help narrow down diagnoses and put your child on the path to treatment as fast as possible.

Early indicators of asthma development include chronic coughing or wheezing, chest pain, and difficulty sleeping. If you notice your child’s symptoms aren’t abating, it may be wise to contact an asthma specialist for an appointment. Take our online control test for your little one to find out if their asthma is manageable as is or needs further treatment.

Preventative care is always best. It’s best to catch asthma and avoid an attack before one occurs. Seeing a qualified pediatric asthma specialist like Dr. Shukla will help you and your child manage asthma long term and receive the appropriate treatment to keep them healthy and breathing clear.

Treatment

Asthma treatment includes two main components. Preventing symptoms and countering asthma attacks themselves. The exact medication depends on your child’s age, severity of their symptoms, and specific triggers. These medications include inhaled corticosteroids, combination inhalers, and oral muscle relaxers. Allergy-induced asthma has its own family of medication that help to lessen the immune system’s reaction to certain allergens.

The benefits of keeping your child’s asthma under control are plentiful and all contribute to an enjoyable childhood:

Better school attendance
Decreases chronic and uncomfortable symptoms
Improved sleep

Less urgent visits to a doctor or the hospital
Organized sports and play become activities your child looks forward to instead of dreading

Pediatric Asthma Care in NYC

As the Chief Pediatric Pulmonologist in a leading central Brooklyn hospital, Dr. Shukla created one of the largest asthma programs in New York City, where he sees between three to six thousand asthma patients each year.

Chief Pediatric Pulmonologist Dr. Shukla pioneered the morbidity directed asthma program, which consistently shows improvement in quality of life for children. Dr. Shukla’s hands-on, personal, one-to-one approach has been very effective in controlling asthma symptoms. This program reduces the overall economic burden of asthma by preventing hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and missed days of work and school due to asthma, thus saving millions of dollars for the city and state healthcare system.

Dr. Shukla specializes in the treatment of asthma and other pulmonary conditions. If you think you may have asthma, or you feel your condition is getting worse, contact us or call (917) 746-3431 to schedule an appointment today.