Physiology of AsthmaAsthma is the leading cause of chronic disease in children and is responsible for nearly 10% of emergency room visits for children under 15 years of age. It occurs in 10 to 12% of children in the United States and is gradually increasing. Asthma can appear at any age, but most children show their first symptoms around the age of five. Since Camp Wapiti caters exclusively to children ages 8-13, this report will focus primarily on childhood asthma. Asthma itself is an inflammatory disease characterized by increased reactivity of the airways due to various stimuli. Inflammation causes hyperresponsiveness which, in turn, causes constriction of bronchiolar smooth muscle, leading to obstruction of airflow. Some asthma “triggers” include: 1) Allergens (pollen, mold, etc.) 2) Exercise 3) Infections (respiratory) 4) Occupational 5) Environmental 6) Food/drugs (xenobiotics) Bronchial hyperactivity/inflammation is the hallmark of asthma and is responsible for both diagnosis and treatment. The early reaction is due to mast cell degranulation and release of inflammatory mediators. The onset is almost immediate and lasts 0.5 to 2 hours. The late phase response is due to persistent inflammation that perpetuates bronchial hyperactivity. Onset occurs within 4 to 6 hours and lasts 12 to 24 hours. The inflammatory mediators are due to mast cells and eosinophils causing an inflammatory response favoring airway edema, mucus secretion and bronchospasm. When the airways respond, the muscles around them contract. This causes your airways to narrow and less air to flow to your lungs. The swelling may also get worse, making the airways even narrower. Cells in the airways can produce more mucus than normal, which can further narrow your...... middle of paper ...... what's going on in a child's mind when told they have asthma or need to get them to stop using their inhaler. They naturally have a poor understanding of health and I know that we as pharmacists need to work around this. I feel like I now have the opportunity to sit down with a child and have a decent conversation with them about the illness and help them find the best way to control their symptoms. Works Cited National Hospital Discharge Survey, United States, 2005. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, July 20, 2007; 56(28):713WebMD information on childhood asthma: http://www.webmd.com/asthma/guide/children-asthmaThe Merck Manual: Lung Disorders - AsthmaReading Notes by Dr. David YoungOber C, Hoffjan S. Asthma Genetics 2006 : the long and winding road to gene discovery. Immune genes. March 2006;7(2):95-100. Monograph of the leaflet