Virtual Children's Hospital: CQQA: Asthma

Pediatrics Common Questions, Quick Answers

Asthma

Donna D'Alessandro, M.D.
Lindsay Huth, B.A.
Peer Review Status: Internally Reviewed
Creation Date: January 2002
Last Revision Date: April 2002

Common Questions, Quick Answers

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic (long lasting) inflammatory lung disease that causes airways to swell up, tighten, and narrow.
A single episode of wheezing is not asthma.

What causes asthma?

Many children with asthma can breathe normally for a long time.
Children with asthma have sensitive airways.
When an asthma flare happens, airway muscles tighten up. The airway lining also swells and can fill with mucus. Both of these cause the airway to narrow.
An asthma flare makes it hard for your child to breathe.
Different things can cause a flare in different people. Sometimes, a flare is triggered by exercise, smoke, allergies, viral infections, breathing in cold air, and changes in the weather.

Who can get asthma?

What are the symptoms of asthma?

A child with asthma has noisy breathing. Normal breathing is quiet.
During an asthma flare, your child may cough, wheeze, sweat, feel tightness in his chest, and feel short of breath. His heart will probably beat faster.
Your child may cough a lot at night but seem fine during the day.
A child with asthma may get chest colds a lot.
A child with asthma may tire more easily than other children or avoid activities and places that make it hard for him to breathe.

Is asthma contagious?

How is asthma treated?

If you think your child has asthma, take him to the doctor.
Your doctor will probably want to know your family's history of asthma and allergies.
Also be prepared to tell your doctor about your child's condition. How bad are his symptoms? How long do they last? When do they begin? What seems to cause them? What seems to make them better or worse? How do they go away? What have you tried to do to improve it?
The doctor may use a machine to test your child's breathing.
If the doctor thinks that your child has asthma, your child will need a plan to control his symptoms and flares.
Asthma is often treated with medication. Medication helps to both prevent flares and treat symptoms.
Make sure your child gets enough rest and eats healthy.
Talk to your child's school. Discuss your child's asthma. What can trigger a flare? What are his symptoms? What should be done? What medication is needed?
A child with asthma can still be very active, if treated with the right medication.

How long does asthma last?

Each person has a different experience with his or her asthma.
For some, symptoms may improve as the child gets older. For others, symptoms may get worse. For others, symptoms may seem to go away but show up again later in life.

How can asthma be prevented?

Avoid things that trigger your child's asthma, such as allergies and breathing in cold air.
Look for signs that your child may be nearing a flare. Signs include change in appearance or mood, change in breathing, or your child might say he "feels funny."
Follow the plan for managing your child's asthma. Make sure he takes medication as prescribed.
Avoid smoking around a child who has asthma. Smoke can trigger a flare.

When should I call the doctor?

Quick Answers

Asthma is a chronic (long lasting) lung disease that causes airways to swell up, tighten, and narrow.
An asthma flare makes it hard for your child to breathe.
Anyone can get asthma, both children and adults.
A child with asthma has noisy breathing. Normal breathing is quiet.
Asthma is not contagious.
Asthma is often treated with medication. Medication helps to both prevent flares and treat symptoms.
For some, symptoms may improve as the child gets older. For others, symptoms may get worse.
Avoid things that trigger your child's asthma, such as allergies or certain forms of exercise.
Call the doctor if you think your child has asthma.

References

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. Tips to Remember: Childhood Asthma. 1998-2001 (cited 2001 November 27). URL: http://www.aaaai.org/public/publicemat/tips/childhoodasthma.stm
Rutherford, K MD. Asthma Basics. KidsHealth. 2001 May (cited 2001 November 27). URL: http://www.kidshealth.org/Pagemanager.jsp?dn=KidsHealth&lic=1&ps=107&cat_id=&article_set=21965
Rutherford K MD. Managing Asthma. KidsHealth. 2001 May (cited 2001 November 27). URL: http://www.kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=KidsHealth&lic=1&ps=107&cat_id=&article_set=21967
Weinberger M. Asthma Education: Interactive Guidelines. 1998 December (cited 2001 December). URL: http://www.vh.org/Providers/ClinGuide/AsthmaIM/comp3/RefC.html

http://www.vh.org/pediatric/patient/pediatrics/cqqa/asthma.html