Asthma in Children

Asthma often Reference begins during childhood or the teen years and may last throughout your child's life.

Asthma is Reference classified as intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent, and severe persistent.

It can be hard to know Reference how severe your child's asthma attack is. Knowing this is important, because severe attacks may require emergency treatment. But in most cases you can take care of your child's symptoms at home with an Reference asthma action plan, which is a written plan that tells you which medicine your child needs to use and when you should call a doctor or seek emergency treatment.

Asthma attacks and what makes them worse

An Reference asthma attack occurs when your child's symptoms suddenly increase. While some asthma attacks occur very suddenly, many get worse over a period of several days.

Things that can lead to an asthma attack or make one worse include:

• A cold or another type of respiratory illness, especially one caused by a virus, such as Reference influenza Opens New Window.
• Exercising (Reference exercise-induced asthma), especially if the air is cold and dry.
• Reference Triggers, such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, Reference dust mites Opens New Window, or Reference animal dander Opens New Window.
• Changes in Reference hormones Opens New Window, such as during the start of a girl's Reference menstrual Opens New Window blood flow at puberty.
• Medicines, such as aspirin (aspirin-induced asthma) or Reference nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Opens New Window.

Most asthma attacks result from a failure to control asthma with medicines. When your child strictly follows his or her asthma action plan and takes all medicines correctly, it is possible to prevent attacks.

Effect on your child's life

At times, the Reference inflammation Opens New Window Reference Opens New Window found in asthma causes your child's airways to narrow and produce Reference mucus Opens New Window, resulting in asthma symptoms such as shortness of breath.

Loss of lung function in asthma appears to start early in childhood.^{Reference 3} Asthma also may increase the risk of a partial collapse of lung tissue (Reference atelectasis Opens New Window) or a collapsed lung (Reference pneumothorax Opens New Window).

Sometimes asthma does not respond to treatment because children are not taking their medicines or are not taking them correctly, are not avoiding triggers, and are otherwise not following their asthma action plan. It is very important that you and other caregivers make sure your child is following his or her action plan to keep asthma from getting worse and to reduce the Reference risk of death from asthma.

By following asthma plans, most children who have asthma can live a healthy, full life.

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This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Reference Terms of Use. Reference How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.