Dr. Gail Brottman

Thank you, Stan. And today's show on asthma. It's really good to be here.

Thank you, Stan. And today's show on asthma. It's really good to be here.

So asthma is a condition that many people have that causes swelling or the other word we use for it is inflammation in the airways. And what happens is when you get swelling or inflammation in your airways, your airways are the things that allow you to bring air and oxygen into your lungs and breathe the carbon dioxide out of your lungs. And so really they're just a series of tubes.

So asthma is a condition that many people have that causes swelling or the other word we use for it is inflammation in the airways. And what happens is when you get swelling or inflammation in your airways, your airways are the things that allow you to bring air and oxygen into your lungs and breathe the carbon dioxide out of your lungs. And so really they're just a series of tubes.

And if the tubes get narrowed, it makes it harder to push air through. And that's basically what happens in people with asthma. The airways get swollen. You get extra mucus that builds up in the airways for a variety of reasons. And subsequently, it makes it harder to breathe.

And if the tubes get narrowed, it makes it harder to push air through. And that's basically what happens in people with asthma. The airways get swollen. You get extra mucus that builds up in the airways for a variety of reasons. And subsequently, it makes it harder to breathe.

Well, I just, and I just want to make a comment about what you said about asthma being debilitating, Stan, because I think it's really, really important for people to understand that we have really good treatments for asthma now. And There are Olympic athletes that have asthma like gold medal winning Olympic athletes.

Well, I just, and I just want to make a comment about what you said about asthma being debilitating, Stan, because I think it's really, really important for people to understand that we have really good treatments for asthma now. And There are Olympic athletes that have asthma like gold medal winning Olympic athletes.

Michael Phelps has a famous swimmer and Jackie Joyner Kersey, who was one of the world's fastest women runners has asthma. And so I just, I just want people to know that while, you know, asthma can be a problem,

Michael Phelps has a famous swimmer and Jackie Joyner Kersey, who was one of the world's fastest women runners has asthma. And so I just, I just want people to know that while, you know, asthma can be a problem,

and definitely can cause difficulty with breathing and you get uncomfortable and things like that, that it really doesn't have to be debilitating and it doesn't have to become a disability, especially in adulthood, if it's treated early. and treated properly. And so that's where I come in as a pediatric pulmonologist.

and definitely can cause difficulty with breathing and you get uncomfortable and things like that, that it really doesn't have to be debilitating and it doesn't have to become a disability, especially in adulthood, if it's treated early. and treated properly. And so that's where I come in as a pediatric pulmonologist.

I think that it's really important for children to have a diagnosis of asthma made as early as possible. And I think one of the challenges for pediatricians, family physicians, is that there are other things that can cause babies and young children to wheeze. As we know, viruses can cause wheezing that are self-limited, that are not asthma. But when you have children

I think that it's really important for children to have a diagnosis of asthma made as early as possible. And I think one of the challenges for pediatricians, family physicians, is that there are other things that can cause babies and young children to wheeze. As we know, viruses can cause wheezing that are self-limited, that are not asthma. But when you have children

who have recurrent episodes of wheezing, especially between colds, right? So if you're having wheezing with a runny nose and a cold and your child is in daycare, then your pediatrician or your family doctor is going to say, Oh, yeah, it's probably just a respiratory viral illness. It'll be fine.

who have recurrent episodes of wheezing, especially between colds, right? So if you're having wheezing with a runny nose and a cold and your child is in daycare, then your pediatrician or your family doctor is going to say, Oh, yeah, it's probably just a respiratory viral illness. It'll be fine.

But if these are recurrent episodes of wheezing where you're seeing that when your child is running and playing that they get short of breath, they seem like they're really not able to catch their breath. Maybe they just sit down and say, I'm tired. I don't want to run anymore. That's not normal for kids, right? Maybe grownups are lazy or whatever. Kids are not lazy.

But if these are recurrent episodes of wheezing where you're seeing that when your child is running and playing that they get short of breath, they seem like they're really not able to catch their breath. Maybe they just sit down and say, I'm tired. I don't want to run anymore. That's not normal for kids, right? Maybe grownups are lazy or whatever. Kids are not lazy.

And I say that with all seriousness. So, excuse me, it's important that if the child has recurrent, and I'm underlining recurrent, episodes of wheezing or shortness of breath or a cough that won't go away, especially when they're not sick,

And I say that with all seriousness. So, excuse me, it's important that if the child has recurrent, and I'm underlining recurrent, episodes of wheezing or shortness of breath or a cough that won't go away, especially when they're not sick,