Air pollutants, family history and allergic tendencies are the main factors that can trigger asthma on a child, explains Dr. Javier Hiriart, Pediatrician at Family Medicine Center at West Kendall Baptist Hospital, who agrees that asthma affects one in twelve children ages 0 to 17 in the United States. Coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest…...

Dr. Raul Valor, Pulmonologist with Baptist Health South Florida, says the majority of the diagnosis of asthma is done on clinical grounds, and the history of the patient is probably the single most important factor. He points out patients will report wheezing at night and they are awakened in the middle of the night by…...

Dr. Raul Valor, Pulmonologist with Baptist Health South Florida, says the most important treatment for asthma is inhaled steroids, because they keep asthma under control and they are probably the mainstay of treatment. He also explains there are long-acting bronchodilators, which are similar to the rescue inhaler, but have a longer duration (between 12 and…...

Dr. Rodney Benjamin, Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine Physician with South Miami Hospital, says refractory asthma is undertreated, because there are new treatments that are still getting traction. He also explains not everybody that wheezes has asthma: "You can wheeze because you're in heart failure; obesity can cause wheezing because of low lung volumes from…...

Dr. Raul Valor, Pulmonologist with Baptist Health South Florida, says when people have asthma, there is a constant inflammation in the airways. He explains it is always there and requires active treatment in order to keep the disease under control. He points out that part of the disease is excessive mucus production. Asthma affects the…...

Fatigue, fever, nasal congestion, loss of smell, and pain in the face are some of the symptoms of sinusitis. Dr. Francisco Pernas, Otolaryngologist with Baptist Health South Florida, talks about this and other symptoms, and he explains what happens when you do not feel anything, but you have the infection...

Lucette Talamas, Registered Dietitian with Baptist Health South Florida, says handling food allergies during Halloween can be a challenge, but it shouldn't be the first time that you encounter this. She recommends having healthy conversations with your child about if they can go trick-or-treating. She points out it is important to make sure your child…...

Dr. Rodney Benjamin, Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine Physician with South Miami Hospital, says the less exposure you have, the less problem you have if you have some allergies to pets. "If you can at least keep the animals out of your bedroom that's helpful," he explains. He also points out you can be treated…...