Childhood Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by tight airways -- a result of airways being too responsive. Our airways are meant to respond to harmful substances in the air. Our airways shrink when we're in a smoky atmosphere, protecting our delicate lung tissues from the noxious ingredients in the smoke. They should go back to normal in fresh air but it doesn't always work that way with asthmatics.

That's the official point of view, from a medical industry that claims not to know how to cure asthma. The people who do cure the problem say that asthma is your body's attempt to compensate for bad breathing methods. So you should learn to breathe properly.

Here are some warning signs

Breathing rate rises to more than 40 breaths/minute while the baby's sleeping.

Child refuses suckling.

Ribs are prominent from the effort of breathing in.

Chest is enlarged.

or pale with blue fingernails.

Lack of breath makes him/her cry less for shorter times.

Gasps breath through open mouth and widened nostrils.

Grunts during feeding.

Asthma and pregnancy

So much for asthma in kids. Now how could mothers bring about asthma? (I'm not letting fathers off the hook either.) Your baby gets all it's oxygen from your breathing so you should learn to breathe properly. That means that if you are gasping for breath yourself your baby is getting even less air. Yes, you really can learn to breathe properly.

We can't do anything to force doctors to tell us about cheap cures. They say that they can't cure asthma and then have the nerve to expect us to buy their medication loaded with side effects. CORRECTION: I've just discovered it's not all the doctors? fault. They have been told by the medical industry that they will lose their licence to practice medicine if they tell you about the free cure for asthma.

Here is the official point of view of the medical industry: "Remember: Using asthma medicine during pregnancy is much safer than letting your asthma get out of control. Such asthma medicines as inhaled beta-agonists (quick relief medicines like Maxair or Proventil), cromolyn (medicines that prevent triggers from causing reactions in your lungs, like Intal), and inhaled steroids (long-term controller medicines like Flovent) are safe for pregnant women when you take them as directed by your doctor. Please don't read the instructions as it might decrease our income." Some of that is untrue.

Singing makes you feel good and the feelings are passed on to your child. Your unborn child can hear the music and will recognize tunes before it can understand words. If you sing along with your husband it will make you feel even better and lessen your chance of having to use pediatric asthma medication.

Prevention of asthma in toddlers

Now here is where you are going to have to struggle through lies to find the truth. I was amazed at how many sites on the web still advise you to wrap the baby in cotton wool and shelter it from dust mites...bacteria... pets... dirt... and anything else in real life. It has been shown that that attitude is responsible for the increase in asthma.

has identified a growth factor (epidermal growth factor or EGF) that is present in very high concentrations in breast milk. He believes that it can speed the maturation of a premature baby's intestines. This could promote overall growth and development. There is an unknown relationship between development of intestines and asthma.

doctors responsible for asthma in kids

I think that the doctors are more to blame than you, because they should know better. doctors cause a lot of the trouble in their endless attempts to sell you more drugs. Tests show that antibiotics destroy the correct activity in a child's intestine. This leads to impaired immune systems and asthma.

Abusing prescription drugs is as common as, or maybe even more common than, street drug use - and doctors are often to blame. People die from asthma prescription drugs.

your children's immune system may be so weakend by steroid drugs prescribed by your doctors that they catch every disease that is going around.

Danger in the showers. When chlorine vaporizes it combines with other airborne particles and forms chloroform gas which is a known cause and contributor to asthma and other respiratory problems. The U.S. EPA states that "Due to chlorine and showering, there is an elevated level of chloroform gas in virtually every home in America...". You are risking asthma every time you give your child a shower according to research. Showering in chlorine is worse than drinking it. Of course.

Sing Your Cares Away

Maldon & South Chelmsford Primary Care Trust has started a project to improve the quality of life of local children with asthma.

"Asthma is a serious condition for many youngsters," says Sarah Southerby, the PCT's healthy living co-ordinator. "The ?Huff and Puff? project holds innovative classes using song and art as mediums for helping children to control their breathing."

The workshops include simple songs, rhythms and breathing techniques, to teach the children not to panic when they suffer shortness of breath.