Having a child with asthma can be a terrifying experience for parents. Fortunately, most cases of asthma can be controlled with proper treatment. If you suspect that your child might have asthma, see your physician right away. The American Lung Association is dedicated to helping children and adults learn to manage their asthma and to lead a more healthy life.
Common symptoms include coughing – constant or intermittent, wheezing or whistling when a child exhales, and shortness of breath or rapid breathing. Any child who has frequent coughing or respiratory infections, such as pneumonia or bronchitis, should be evaluated for asthma.
The child who coughs after running or crying may have asthma. Recurrent night cough is common, as asthma is often worse at night. Chest tightness and shortness of breath are other symptoms of asthma that may occur alone or in combination with any of the above symptoms. Since these symptoms can occur for reasons other than asthma, other respiratory diseases must always be considered.
In a young child the discomfort of chest tightness may lead to unexplained irritability. They may complain that their chest “hurts” or “feels funny.” Infants who have trouble feeding or who grunt during suckling may have asthma.
Remember: Any child who has frequent coughing or respiratory infections (pneumonia or bronchitis) should be evaluated for asthma.
Until rapid breathing, wheezing and coughing become obvious, the condition of many children with asthma will go undetected. These children with asthma usually suffer some degree of airway obstruction, and unless it is brought under control the children may suffer respiratory illnesses more frequently than necessary.
Hidden asthma, however, can produce so few recognizable symptoms that even a health care provider might not be able to distinguish abnormal breath sounds with his or her stethoscope but it may cause subtle problems such as limitation of physical activity. Pulmonary function testing usually reveals these cases of airway obstruction.
Episodes of asthma often are triggered by some condition or stimulus. Common triggers of asthma are:
An Asthma Action Plan is a written plan developed by you and your child’s physician that will help you and your child prevent and handle asthma attacks. Ask your child’s doctor to help you personalize this plan according to your child’s symptoms and triggers, and adjust it at each doctor’s appointment. The plan will also help you monitor treatment and medications for you child’s asthma and know when to seek help during an emergency situation. You should keep the action plan with you at all times, and make sure your child’s caregivers and teachers each have a copy of the plan.
