Dr. Gail Brottman

And so they may not feel short of breath, just walking around or sitting around, even though their lung function is not normal. The problem is, is if you're starting with air tubes that are 50% closed up,

And so they may not feel short of breath, just walking around or sitting around, even though their lung function is not normal. The problem is, is if you're starting with air tubes that are 50% closed up,

you're the it's going to be that much easier if you get into some sort of trigger like smoke or bad air or something like that for you to have an asthma attack versus if you have air tubes that are 100% open or 90% open, right, the likelihood that you're gonna have an asthma attack is really, really decreased.

you're the it's going to be that much easier if you get into some sort of trigger like smoke or bad air or something like that for you to have an asthma attack versus if you have air tubes that are 100% open or 90% open, right, the likelihood that you're gonna have an asthma attack is really, really decreased.

And so, you know, part of the way we determine, and this is especially for young children, about how much swelling is in the air tubes is by how often they have symptoms, right? And so it's really, really important for people to tell their healthcare provider that, well, no, I don't hear my kid wheezing every day, but they can't do gym, right? They can't run because they get short of breath.

And so, you know, part of the way we determine, and this is especially for young children, about how much swelling is in the air tubes is by how often they have symptoms, right? And so it's really, really important for people to tell their healthcare provider that, well, no, I don't hear my kid wheezing every day, but they can't do gym, right? They can't run because they get short of breath.

Well, that's a symptom. Kids should be able to run and not get short of breath. Right. So it might not be that they're having asthma attacks where they're gasping for air or wheezing or sucking in or looking scary. Right. But those little symptoms are really, really important clues as to how open they

Well, that's a symptom. Kids should be able to run and not get short of breath. Right. So it might not be that they're having asthma attacks where they're gasping for air or wheezing or sucking in or looking scary. Right. But those little symptoms are really, really important clues as to how open they

the air tubes are, and actually should guide your healthcare provider as to determining whether or not you need to have a daily preventive medicine, which we call an asthma controller, or, you know, just a rescue medicine before exercise. So it's really kind of looking at clues to see if we can tell how much swelling is. Again,

the air tubes are, and actually should guide your healthcare provider as to determining whether or not you need to have a daily preventive medicine, which we call an asthma controller, or, you know, just a rescue medicine before exercise. So it's really kind of looking at clues to see if we can tell how much swelling is. Again,

and I'm going to probably say this a million more times during our conversation, it's all about airway inflammation and how much is there, what's triggering it and how do we decrease it and in an, or in an effort to really control the asthma symptoms and prevent asthma attacks. All right.

and I'm going to probably say this a million more times during our conversation, it's all about airway inflammation and how much is there, what's triggering it and how do we decrease it and in an, or in an effort to really control the asthma symptoms and prevent asthma attacks. All right.

Right. Well, and that's a great question, Stan. And we do this all the time, right? Because anesthesia is a risk for people with asthma, right? It's not only surgeries, but For example, dental procedures, right? We have pediatric dentists here at Hennepin that do amazing work on all different kinds of kids with all different kinds of respiratory issues.

Right. Well, and that's a great question, Stan. And we do this all the time, right? Because anesthesia is a risk for people with asthma, right? It's not only surgeries, but For example, dental procedures, right? We have pediatric dentists here at Hennepin that do amazing work on all different kinds of kids with all different kinds of respiratory issues.

And, you know, they need to make sure that these kids are breathing properly. before they're going to sedate them. Right, right. And again, it really gets back to trying to make an assessment of how somebody's lungs are functioning. At a point in time.

And, you know, they need to make sure that these kids are breathing properly. before they're going to sedate them. Right, right. And again, it really gets back to trying to make an assessment of how somebody's lungs are functioning. At a point in time.

And we do a lot of visits like, you know, two weeks before, a month before a scheduled surgery to make an evaluation. And quite frankly, you know, I have told parents and surgeons that if I think that a child's lungs are not in optimal condition that they should, you know, put it off in the surgery because of the risk. And obviously, you know, it's not always elective, right?

And we do a lot of visits like, you know, two weeks before, a month before a scheduled surgery to make an evaluation. And quite frankly, you know, I have told parents and surgeons that if I think that a child's lungs are not in optimal condition that they should, you know, put it off in the surgery because of the risk. And obviously, you know, it's not always elective, right?

We work at a level one trauma center here. And again, you know, I think it's really about trying to make an assessment of how much swelling is in those airways. How well is your asthma controlled? So there are actually, and people can look it up online.

We work at a level one trauma center here. And again, you know, I think it's really about trying to make an assessment of how much swelling is in those airways. How well is your asthma controlled? So there are actually, and people can look it up online.