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Could your child be the one who is touched by this common chronic disease? Here’s what parents need to know about asthma.
Asthma is a health problem that tends to run in families. Sufferers have overly sensitive airways that swell, tighten and make too much mucus. Who’s at highest risk of getting asthma? Children who are born premature, live with smokers, or have parents or close family members who have allergies or asthma are more likely to get the disease. Health experts are still trying to figure out what causes asthma, but it seems to be a combination of family history and exposure to environmental causes.
About half of children with asthma develop symptoms by age two. Nearly 80% will have symptoms by age five. Still, detecting asthma in babies and toddlers can be hard. When very young children get certain lung infections, their tiny airways easily fill with mucus. This can lead to wheezing that may sound like asthma, but isn’t.
Look for these symptoms each time your child gets a cold or viral illness:
If you think your child may have asthma, don’t wait. Take them to see a doctor. A medical history, certain breathing tests, and allergy screenings can help decide if treatment is needed.
What causes asthma symptoms? Possible culprits include cigarette smoke, dust mites and pets. Allergies are a common trigger for asthma symptoms. If your child has allergies, managing the triggers may lead to fewer asthma problems.
Tips to Manage Triggers
Work with the doctor to find your child’s allergic triggers. Then talk through ways you can avoid or control them. For example:
Treating Allergies
Talk with your child’s doctor about allergy treatments. Choices include:
Make sure you have an Asthma Action Plan. The plan should outline steps to help your child during an asthma flare up. Share the plan with your child’s school and any caregivers, including grandparents and babysitters.
Get help if you see any of these warning signs. They could mean your child’s asthma is getting worse. Talk to your child’s doctor if:
Keep a daily log of your child’s peak-flow meter readings so you can tell if it is low or varies day-to-day. Your doctor may also ask you to track these readings for a couple of weeks leading up to an office visit.
A change in medicine or other steps might help keep your child’s asthma symptoms under control.
Originally Published 6/1/2016; Revised 2020, 2022, 2024
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