It's possible. I assume the child was an asthmatic to begin with, so, "Bad Mommy". She should know better than to smoke around a kid with asthma. In fact, she shouldn't smoke around any of her kids.
Asthma is still a fatal disease. We've lost several of our younger patients to acute attacks, which killed them before they could even summon help.
Pertinent to nothing but a chance to say something of a professional nature, what is the problem caused by asthma? It's not that they can't get air into their lungs, it's that they can't empty their lungs to get another breathe. Normally, the bronchioles dilate when you inhale, just by pure mechanical forces as the lung expands. When you exhale, even passively, the tubes narrow a bit. When you forcefully exhale, they close a bit more. So, when the asthmatic tries to exhale thru tubes that are mechanically narrowing, and also reduced by the constriction of the bronchiole muscles, they aren't able to empty their lungs enuf. Essentially, a severe attack is akin to taking a big toke, and then maybe trying to talk while holding the smoke in. Know what I mean, Vern? Their lungs are almost full when they try to take their next breath.
Oh, and they get mucus plugs that block the tubes, also. |
