Asthma is a difficult condition to manage for many, with most relying on a pump to get them through the day. It can cause breathlessness, coughing and increased sensitivity to certain odours. For children, it can sometimes be a lot harder to deal with.

The condition can make it difficult for people to perform demanding exercises because they can easily get out of breath. This includes running, which is something most children do. If the condition is undiagnosed, it could lead to difficulties for your child.

This article is by no means meant to replace professional medical advice or treatment but is simply a list of what to watch out for in order to know whether to bring your child to a doctor or not.

Looking Out For Symptoms

Sometimes a cough can just be that, but if paired with other things it may be a sign of something your child is suffering with. Here is a list of symptoms to look out for in case you’re worried your child has asthma:

Coughing and Breathing
This is most important if the cough is particularly persistent, it appears late at night or first thing in the morning and can come on after your child has been running around.

They may also wheeze when they breathe.

Fast breathing is common as well as an exaggerated movement of the body when they breathe.

Tummy Ache
Your child may complain of having a poorly tummy.

Note: If your child is struggling to breathe call the emergency services straight away.

Seeing a Doctor

If you make a doctor’s appointment, you should take a few steps in order to make it as clear and concise as possible.
A good idea is to note down your child’s symptoms so you remember all of them when speaking to your doctor. Remember to write down what time of day these symptoms occurred and what your child was doing when they suffered from these symptoms.

Your doctor may ask you some of the following questions, to prepare for answers to make it easier and quicker for everyone:

• Was your child born early?
• Did they need help with their breathing when they were born?
• Did the child’s mother smoke whilst she was pregnant?
• Does the condition run in the family?
• Do you live in a polluted area, like a city?
• Is your home damp?

In turn, you may have questions you’d like to ask the doctor. Some suggestions may be:

• Why is my child coughing so much?
• What should I do if they’re struggling to breathe?

Inhalers

Before diagnosing is possible, your doctor may want to test your child to confirm what it is.

If your child’s symptoms are not that frequent, the doctor may send you home in order to wait and see if the symptoms get worse or if they come at a certain time of day. Your child will likely be given an inhaler that will make it easier for them to breathe during this time.

Another type of inhaler given out can heal the inflammation in your child’s airways and make it easier to breathe. This will be given if your child has quite a few symptoms.

Dealing With Your Child

It’s important to know how to combat this condition. One of the most important things is to be prepared for attacks. Here are a few tips on what to do:

• Help them sit up
• Keep them calm
• Use one puff from their inhaler every sixty seconds (no more than ten puffs)
• Call the emergency services if this doesn’t help

Make sure to also keep inhalers close to hand. Ensure that everyone at school and in the family is aware that they have asthma in the case of sleepovers and classes.