Asthma is an ongoing condition that interferes with your child’s breathing. It should be noted that when dealing with asthma in children there is almost always some degree of inflammation in their lungs, even when no symptoms are present. As a result, their lungs are especially sensitive and easily irritated. When irritated, the lining of their airways swells up and mucus can begin to block the flow of air to their lungs. At the same time, the muscles around their airways become tight, making it hard to breathe and creating a variety of asthma symptoms.
First Signs of Asthma
When Beatrice first started showing signs of breathing problems, her parents weren't sure if it was a cold or something more.
Does age make a difference?
In older children (generally ages 5 years and above), allergies to dust, pet dander, or pollen are common causes of asthma.
For toddlers with asthma (generally 1 to 4 years of age), viral respiratory infection is more likely to trigger asthma. Since viral infections can cause wheezing in children who do not develop persistent asthma, there may be a misconception that asthma doesn’t start before school age. But, in fact, more than half of all children with persistent asthma start to experience symptoms before the age of 3 years, and 80% start before the age of 6 years.
Your child is not alone
If your child has asthma, he or she is not alone. In fact, asthma is one of the most common long-term conditions among children today. There are about 9 million children in the United States under the age of 18 years who have been diagnosed with asthma. Although there is no accurate way to predict who will get asthma, children with a family history of asthma have a greater chance of getting it.
- Several studies have shown that up to 40% of children who have parents with asthma will develop asthma
- Between 50% and 80% of children with asthma developed symptoms before the age of 5 years
- In 2005, asthma was 25% more common among African Americans than among Caucasians
If the asthma screening indicates that your child may have asthma, you should schedule a follow-up appointment with his or her doctor.
How you can help
Learn how to recognize asthma symptoms in your child and which triggers may cause asthma symptoms. Sometimes it can be confusing. But the more you know, the better you can manage your child’s condition.