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Asthma

Does Your Child Have Asthma?

Did you know that national guidelines for asthma management recommend at least yearly spirometry (lung function test) to assess asthma control? We are working hard to improve asthma care for our patients to ensure that they are able to lead healthy and active lives. Close management of your child’s asthma will reduce missed days of school and work and allow your child to participate in activities that they enjoy. Call our office today to set up an asthma management appointment for your child.

Asthma Q & A

What are the symptoms of asthma in children?

Asthma causes certain symptoms that are often obvious for parents. If your child is asthmatic, he or she may:

  • Cough
    regularly, especially at night
  • Get frequent chest colds
  • Wheeze when breathing
  • Have difficulty breathing
  • Regularly take shallow fast breaths
  • Complain of chest tightness
  • Feel weak or tired

After Hours & Emergencies

If you feel your child needs care after hours or if you are advised to seek care for your child by the on-call physician after hours, please go to the nearest emergency room.

How is asthma diagnosed in childern?

It depends on your child’s age since it’s tricky to diagnose asthma in children under five. Infants, toddlers, and very young children are still developing, so their bronchial tubes are small and narrow, to begin with.

Nevertheless, this is also the age bracket where children tend to show symptoms. With a little inflammation, your child may show signs of asthma, but you could find out that it’s just a minor chest cold.

Sometimes just the opposite occurs: your child gets diagnosed with a chest cold, but it never really goes away. This is why asthma is often overlooked or misdiagnosed in small children.

The diagnosis process for young children often involves monitoring their symptoms and doing some lab work to check for inflammation.

Your child may also go through allergy testing to see if an allergen is triggering asthmatic symptoms. Sometimes treatment is as simple as removing that allergen from your child’s diet or environment.

For children over five, the diagnosis is usually a little simpler since they can describe their symptoms. Your pediatrician might have to administer a pulmonary function test to measure breathing. They simply breathe into a special tube for this test.

Laboratory work to check for inflammation, allergy testing, or chest X-rays are common diagnostic tools your pediatrician might suggest.