Maybe your child has a cough that never seems to go away, or they seem to get colds that come with a harsh cough or wheeze. With those kinds of symptoms, it’s possible they have asthma.
Nearly 5 million children in the United States suffer from asthma. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in children. It’s also a leading cause of missed school days.
“Asthma can be a serious disease for children,” says Michele Meszaros, a Nurse Practitioner with ThedaCare Physicians Pediatrics-Neenah. “But with proper treatment, kids can live a normal life and participate in activities, including sports.”
Understanding Asthma
Asthma is a chronic condition affecting the airways in the lungs. This causes them to become inflamed and narrow. Without proper treatment, children with asthma can suffer asthma attacks and more frequent coughing and breathing problems. During an asthma attack, a child’s airways become inflamed and narrow. This makes breathing difficult.
People can develop asthma at any age, but the condition often starts in childhood, according to the AAFA.
There’s no single reason why people develop asthma. It can be a combination of genetics and environmental factors.
Risk factors for developing asthma include:
- Living in households with lower incomes
- Puerto Rican, Black, Indigenous, Native American or Alaska Native descent
- Living in inner cities
- Living near high levels of air pollution
Symptoms
Asthma symptoms and signs in school-age kids include:
- Shortness of breath
- Cough
- Chest tightness or pain
- Wheezing — a whistling sound when breathing
- Waking at night due to asthma symptoms
- Exercise intolerance — inability to do physical activity that’s normal for their age
Symptoms and signs in babies and toddlers include:
- Coughing (persistent, repeated and/or at night)
- Rapid breathing
- Working harder to breathe
- Flaring nostrils
- Skin sucking in around and between ribs or above the sternum
- Exaggerated belly movement
- Panting with normal activities such as playing
- Wheezing
- Trouble sucking or eating
- Tiredness or disinterest in normal or favorite activities
“If you notice any of these symptoms, tell your child’s medical provider,” Meszaros says.
Emergency Symptoms
Some symptoms indicate an emergency. If your child is experiencing these, seek immediate care at the doctor’s office or emergency department, or call 911. Signs of emergency include:
- Constant wheezing
- Symptoms that don’t improve after 15-20 minutes or return again quickly despite use of a fast-acting inhaler
- A lasting cough that doesn’t respond to inhaled medicine
- Changes in your child’s color, like bluish or gray lips and fingernails
- Trouble talking and inability to speak in full sentences
- Retractions — when your child breathes in, the areas below and between the ribs and in the neck visibly pull in
Diagnosis and Treatment
To diagnose if someone has asthma, a doctor or advanced practice provider will take a medical history, conduct a physical exam and may order a lung function test. This measures how much and how quickly someone can blow out air.
Children can take two types of medication for their asthma. The first is called a rescue medication. This works quickly to open airways if someone is having trouble breathing or during an asthma attack. It’s delivered through an inhaler or a nebulizer when someone is coughing, wheezing or has shortness of breath.
Nebulizers turn liquid medicine into a mist the child breathes in through a mask or mouthpiece. These sometimes are recommended for younger children and toddlers.
The second type of medication is taken daily and designed to reduce airway inflammation over time to prevent symptoms. Your child may take one or both of these medications.
“Your child’s provider will give you a treatment plan to help guide you on when your child needs which medication and when to call a medical provider,” Meszaros says. “You can share that plan with your child’s day care or school. At your child’s wellness visits, your provider will check in with you to ensure your child’s asthma is well-controlled.”
Additional Triggers
Some children suffer from exercise-induced bronchospasm. Physical activity triggers this, and it can lead to coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.
Symptoms appear during or shortly after exercise and can include wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. Talk to your child’s provider if you’re concerned their breathing gets in the way of their activities, Meszaros says. They can offer recommendations for managing exercise-induced bronchospasm.
Many children with asthma also tend to have allergies. Keeping allergies under control can help manage a child’s asthma symptoms. Common allergens include dust mites, molds, pet dander and seasonal irritants such as pollen and ragweed. Children with asthma also often take allergy medications, Meszaros says.
“Stay aware of how your child is feeling and make sure you’re following their treatment plan,” she says. “If you notice their asthma gets worse in the spring when everything is blooming, mention that to your child’s medical provider.”
Meszaros stresses that with proper care and treatment, your child can live a full, healthy life with asthma. “We’re here to help, whether your child is newly diagnosed or you’re seeking to better manage their symptoms.”
