Childhood Asthma

Asthma is the most common serious chronic disease of childhood, affecting nearly five million children in the United States. Asthma in children is the cause of almost three million physician visits and 200,000 hospitalizations each year.

Children with asthma cough, wheeze, experience chest tightness and shortness of breath. Many parents do not realize that a chronic cough may be the only symptom of asthma and that a child does not have to wheeze to have asthma. Children with reactive airway disease, recurrent bronchitis or wheezy bronchitis probably have asthma.

Up to 80% of children with asthma develop symptoms before age five. The child's physician must rely heavily on parents' observations to make a proper diagnosis.

To make a diagnosis of asthma your child's physician will want to know about the following:

· Does your child cough, wheeze (a whistling sound when breathing), have chest tightness or shortness of breath?

· Do colds go right to your child's chest and last much longer than other siblings?

· Does your child cough or wheeze with exercise, play, and laughter or during temper tantrums?

· Is there a family history of asthma or allergies?

· What triggers your child's symptoms - colds, allergens (like the family pet), or exercise?

· How often are the symptoms and how bad?

· Is your child missing school?

· Is coughing or wheezing keeping you and your child up at night?

Source: American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology

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