Define Morbidity for Childhood Asthma

In the US, asthma is the most common long-term illness suffered by children and studies link specific factors to the morbidity of the condition.

Identification

• Asthma causes inflammation of the bronchial tubes (airways to the lungs) which results in breathing difficulties. Morbidity refers to the increased number of cases and fatalities being reported for a condition in a specified population.

Etymology

• Asthma originates from Greek and Latin where, in both languages, the same word and spelling is found defined as "a panting." Latin is also the language of origin for the word "morbid," which comes from the term "morbidus" meaning "diseased." The "mori" root means "to die."

Family Action

• Asthma morbidity in children is linked to a number of factors, family response being of major importance. The condition is best controlled when a child's parents and immediate family members become involved, not only increasing their understanding of asthma, but becoming more adept at identifying symptoms of an asthma attack and developing a family plan on how to respond

Child Action

• Asthma morbidity decreases when a child is trained to recognize symptoms, avoids substances that trigger attacks and is taught the function of the lungs and how to better recognize normal versus abnormal respiratory function.

Considerations

• Other factors contributing to increased childhood asthma morbidity include: race and economic status, lack of health care or insurance, over-reacting to symptoms, mental condition of the mother and failure to take medications as prescribed.