Investigation Analysis on Family Health Issue in Preschool Children - Research Paper Example

Topic: Investigation Report on Family Health Issue in Preschool Children Student’s Name Course name 1st September, 2012 Table of Contents page 1.0 Purpose …………………………………………………………………………………2 2.0 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………….2 3.0 Definition of terms……………………………………………………………………...3 3.1Preschooolers………………………………………………………………………..3 3.2Asthma………………………………………………………………………………3 3.3 Mild Asthma………………………………………………………………………..3 3.4Severe asthma……………………………………………………………………….3 3.5Chronic asthma……………………………………………………………………...3 4.0 Background…………………………………………………………………………….4 5.0 Discussion……………………………………………………………………………...5 5.1Health issue and contributing factors………………………………………………5 5.2Effects on families………………………………………………………………….6 6.0 Recommendations……………………………………………………………………..7 7.0 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………..7 8.0 References……………………………………………………………………………..9 1.0 PURPOSE The purpose of this report is to explore asthma as one of the health issues affecting preschoolers in Australia. The report is intended for a wide range of audience such as families and, the medical fraternity such as registered nurses in the field of child and adolescent health. The family is the basic unit where the child grows. This report serves to create greater awareness to the family members in order to respond to any likely symptoms of asthma in the family setting. Registered nurses are endowed with the responsibility of providing appropriate, effective and, safe care for children. This report aims at providing the much needed awareness among the registered nurses to enable them provide the most effective care towards the preschoolers that suffer from asthma. 2.0 INTRODUCTION Asthma is defined as a chronic condition or disease that causes air tubes in and out of the lungs to be swollen or develop sores. It is estimated that more than 20 million people suffer from Asthmatic conditions in Australia (AIHW, 2009). Out of these cases, more than 9 million affect the preschoolers. Among the known symptoms of asthma include persistent coughing, wheezing, breathing trouble and, tightness of the chest. Asthma symptoms among the preschoolers are variable. This means that the symptoms vary from mild, severe to chronic. Even if the symptoms are mild, it is not advisable to ignore the symptoms because they can develop within a short time into other phases namely severe and chronic thus putting the life of the preschoolers at risk (ACAM, 2011). The contributing factors of asthma include genetic factors, infections of the respiratory system, low weight at birth, exposure to smoke from tobacco after/ before birth and exposure to allergies (Asthma Foundation WA, 2012). Asthma affects families in that, it increases the family costs related to medication, and leads to parents’ disengagement in other economic activities in order to take care of their asthmatic children. Only children suffering from severe to chronic asthma should be hospitalized and therefore nurses should evaluate the appropriateness of hospitalizing such children. 3.0 DEFINITION OF TERMS 3.1 Preschoolers-Refers to children between 3-5 years. These are children with a high level of curiosity and thus want to smell, taste and touch things for themselves. 3.2 Asthma-defined as the inflammatory disease that affects the airways. 3.3 Mild asthma- Refers to the initial phase of asthma development. Only a few symptoms such as coughing can be observed. 3.4 Severe Asthma-Refers to the next phase of asthma development where more signs begin to manifest such as persistent coughing, wheezing and difficulties in breathing particularly after an exercise. 3.5 Chronic asthma - Refers to the most developed phase of asthma where all the symptoms manifest such as breathing difficulties, wheezing after a few minutes of exercise, persistent coughing 4.0 BACKGROUND Australia has one of the highest prevalence rates of asthma among the preschoolers in the world. It is estimated that asthma is the most common chronic disease that affect more than 15% of preschoolers in Australia. Improved and enhanced understanding of asthma as a family health issues is vital in dealing with this illness (ACAM, 2011). Understanding the way asthma develops, contributing factors, diagnosis, treatment and the role of different players in preventing and treatment of asthma among the preschoolers is of paramount importance. This may also have vital implications for polices and practice developed and implemented in order to curb the incidental rates of asthma among the preschool children in Australia. According to the report released by Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) in 2009, more than 16% of Australian children aged 3 years and below suffer from wheeze or asthma (AIHW, 2009). 4.1% of non-asthmatic preschoolers aged 4 to 5 years will still experience the asthmatic health issue during their seventh year (AIHW, 2008). These revelations show that asthma is a common family health issue in Australia that calls for appropriate and timely policies to prevent the occurrence of asthma among the pre-school children in Australia. (AIHW, 2012). Among the common and major reasons for hospital admission as well as visits to emergency departments among children in Australia, asthma is ranked top of the list (NACA, 2007). The reason for this is that 1 in every 7 preschool children particularly in the rural parts of Australia suffer from asthma (NACA, 2007). This is particularly the case in the months of February after the schools are re-opened. Even though the number of deaths related to asthma among the preschool children in Australia has dropped significantly since 2000, it is estimated that more than 300 deaths among the preschoolers occurred annually in the past 3 to 4 years (NACA, 2007). Hence, the need to have an increased awareness of asthma as a family health issue is important in order to prevent further deaths related to asthma among the preschoolers in Australia. 5.0 DISCUSSION 5.1 Health issue and contributing factors As mentioned there above, asthma is one of the common family health issues among the preschool children in Australia. Research has shown that asthma occur when the respiratory tract is affected by foreign substances that trigger an allergic reaction in the respiratory tract. One of the chemicals released during an allergic reaction is histamine which is known to cause difficulties in exhaling (AIHW, 2008). Although, there is little known about the causes of asthma, certain contributing factors are known to trigger asthma not only among the children but also in adults. These contributing factors include allergens which comprise of pollens, animal fur or hair, weather changes, viral infections, smoke from tobacco, mould spores and, house dust. Food is also known to trigger asthma among the children particularly when the child has chemical intolerance or from food allergies (Nutrition Australia, 2009). Research shows that less than 2.5% of asthmatic cases among the preschool children are caused by drinks and foods (Wood & Gibson, 2009). Research has also shown that premature births are other contributing factors of asthma and this is particularly the case among the infants born less than 36 weeks. The reason for this is that such infants have very low immune defense system making that make them more vulnerable to other asthmatic contributing such as cold and dust (Lemanske & Busse, 2010). Genetics factors also contribute largely to the onset of asthma among the preschool children. Infants born in a family with a history of eczema, allergy, and asthma are highly likely to be asthmatic. In order to determine whether a preschool child is likely to develop asthma, a positive diagnosis of allergies in a family history by a physician is an important step (Moore & Pascual, 2010). 5.2 Effects on families Asthma among preschool children has far reaching effects on the families. One of these effects is modification of lifestyle. As stated there above, asthma has no known cause but it is triggered by a range of factors which are common in many families such as smoking, fur or hair from pets to mention a few (NACA, 2012). This means that the prevalence of asthma in the family result into lifestyle modification. For example, certain pets such as cats and dogs are done away with while certain foods and drinks are also done away with. Smoking parents and other adults in the family that smoke are also left with no option but to smoke away from home in order to reduce the trigger of asthma among the preschool children through tobacco smoke (NACA, 2012). Furthermore, asthmatic preschool children must be subjected to two classes of medications which include: long-term medications used to control further exacerbation; and medications for quick relief used to treat any severe symptoms that may occur in the child. This means that families incur heavy costs of purchasing the medications which could have otherwise be used for other economic activities in the family (Christine, 2007). A part from the above direct effects of asthma in the family, other effects include the time spent by the parents and other siblings to monitor their asthmatic children on a 24 hour period, administering medication and reassuring their asthmatic children. 6.0 RECCOMENDATIONS  Several determinants of health must be taken into consideration in order to effectively deal with the asthma problem. They include safe houses and clean air free from dust, greater support of the asthmatic children from other family members, change in certain behaviors such as smoking, and easy access to health services as a way of treating the asthma menace (NACA, 2012). In this regard, the following recommendations must be taken into consideration; Registered Nurses in New South Wales must continuously provide the parents with the patient education and written asthma action plan (WAAP) to enable them take care of their asthmatic preschool children. Registered nurses in NSW must continually adhere to the national guidelines on asthma especially with regard to the use and administration of asthma medication among the preschool children (New South Wales Policy Directive, 2010). As the primary health care providers, registered nurses in NSW should carry out early investigations in order to detect asthma early among the preschool children especially when the patient has symptoms such as wheezing, persistent coughing, and chest tightness. 7.0 CONCLUSION Asthma is one of the major family health issues not only in NSW but in the whole of Australia. The major contributing factors include allergies, genetic factors, and infection of the respiratory systems. Studies have shown that more than 16% of preschool children in Australia suffer from asthma and 1 out of 7 preschool children in rural parts of the country are asthmatic. Asthma has different effects on the families such as increased costs of medication, and increased time spent monitoring the children rather than engaging in other economic activities. However, it is the role of the registered nurses (RN) to continually provide parents with patient education and WAAP in order to effectively care for asthmatic preschool children. REFERENCES AIHW (2009). Asthma in Australian Children: Findings from Growing up in Australia, the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring, ACAM (2011). Asthma in Australia. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, (2011). Available at: www.aihw.gov.au Australia Institute of Health and Welfare (2008). Asthma in Australia. http://www.asthmamonitoring.org/AinA08_html/Chapter%203.htm Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2009). Asthma in Australia. http://www.asthmamonitoring.org/AinA08_html/Chapter%202.htm Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2012). Asthma. http://www.aihw.gov.au/asthma-health-priority-area Asthma Foundation WA (2012). Asthma Friendly Schools. http://www.asthmawa.org.au/About-Asthma/Asthma-Factsheets/Asthma-Friendly-Schools Christine, J. (2007). HealthInsite. Asthma: Expert View. http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/content/internal/page.cfm?ObjID=0006330E-0451-1D2D-81CF83032BFA006D Lemanske, R, Busse, W. (2010). “Asthma: clinical expression and molecular mechanism”. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 125 (2 Suppl 2): S95–102. Moore, C, & Pascual, R. (2010). "Update in asthma 2009". American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 181 (11): 1181–7. National Asthma Council Australia, NACA (2007). Asthma Management Handbook 2007. Melbourne: National Asthma Council Australia, 2007. Available at: www.nationalasthma.org.au Nutrition Australia, NA, (2009). Asthma. http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/national/resource/asthma National Asthma Council of Australia (2012). Asthma Facts. http://www.nationalasthma.org.au/what-is-asthma-/asthma-facts National Asthma Council Australia. (2012). Patient-centered health care. http://www.nationalasthma.org.au/health-professionals/information-papers/patient-centred-health-care-in-primary-care New South Wales Policy Directive. (2010).Children and Adolescents- Guidelines for care in acute care settings. https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:nYDGtVktFooJ:www.health.nsw.gov.au/policies/pd/2010/pdf/PD2010_034.pdf+&hl=en&gl=ke&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShKAvehDt9dDN87h6KyGDPsocveCnZXJKcXmVQnE8BVTBbpYpzUjDNnQ68PAXy2cdQ9MdmcMz-iljeVppMBAkmYF3GTXONe7nxRMj6Ieyp5SyhCWAPIcrk2Vy_aDI-t_66SGKEH&sig=AHIEtbRO1ntapoGZYWuQmUTfWIXMhLutag Wood, L, Gibson, P. (2009). "Dietary factors lead to innate immune activation in asthma". Pharmacol. Ther. 123 (1): 37–53 Read More