What is asthma in children?

Asthma is a lung disease that makes it hard for your child to breathe. It causes the airways that lead to the lungs to swell and get inflamed.

Some children have breathing problems only at certain times, like during allergy season, or when they get a cold, or when they exercise. Others have breathing problems a lot of the time.

When asthma symptoms suddenly get worse (or flare up), the airways tighten and get narrower. These flare-ups are also called asthma attacks or exacerbations (say "ig-ZAS-ur-BAY-shuns").

Treatment can help your child feel and breathe better and help keep your child's lungs healthy. Many children with asthma play sports and live healthy, active lives.

When your child has asthma, he or she may:

• Wheeze. This is a loud or soft whistling noise when breathing in and out.
• Cough a lot. This is the only symptom for some children.
• Feel tightness in the chest.
• Feel short of breath. Your child may have rapid, shallow breathing or trouble breathing.
• Have trouble sleeping because of coughing and wheezing.
• Get tired quickly during exercise.

Your child may start having symptoms soon after being around things like pollen or cigarette smoke. This is an early phase response. Or symptoms may start several hours later. This is a late phase response. It can make it harder to know what things cause your child's symptoms.

Symptoms of asthma can be mild or severe. Your child may have symptoms every day, just now and then, or somewhere in between.

Many children have symptoms that get worse at night. These include a cough and shortness of breath.

To find out if your child has asthma, your doctor will do a physical exam and ask about your child's symptoms.

The doctor may also have your child do breathing tests to find out how well your child's lungs work. These tests include:

Spirometry.

Doctors use this test to diagnose and keep track of asthma in children age 5 and older. It measures how quickly your child can move air in and out of the lungs and how much air is moved.

Peak expiratory flow (PEF).

This test shows how much air your child can quickly breathe out using the greatest effort.

An exercise or inhalation challenge.

This test measures how well your child can breathe after exercise or after taking a medicine.

If your doctor thinks your child's symptoms may be caused by allergies, the doctor may order allergy tests.

Asthma is treated with medicine to help your child breathe easier, along with self-care.

Medicines

Controller medicines.

These medicines prevent asthma attacks, help stop problems before they happen, and reduce inflammation in your child’s lungs. These things help control your child’s asthma.

Quick-relief medicines.

These medicines are used when symptoms can’t be prevented and need to be treated fast. They help relax the airways and allow your child to breathe easier.

Oral or injected corticosteroids.

These medicines may be used to treat asthma attacks.

Treatment also includes things you can help your child do to manage asthma, like avoiding things that might trigger symptoms and following an asthma action plan.

There are things you can help your child do to manage asthma.

Taking asthma medicines as prescribed.

Make sure that your child:

• Takes controller medicine to treat inflammation every day, not just when your child has symptoms.
• Uses quick-relief medicine during an asthma attack.
• Learns how to use inhalers the right way. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.

Finding ways to avoid triggers.

Help your child to:

• Avoid triggers like cigarette smoke, air pollution, dust mites, pollen, pet dander, cockroaches, and cold, dry air.
• Avoid infections such as COVID-19, colds, and the flu. Remind your child to wash their hands often. Make sure your child gets the flu vaccine and stays up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines.

Following an asthma action plan.

This is a written plan that will help your child manage asthma every day and know what to do during an asthma attack. If your child doesn't have an action plan, work with your doctor to make one.