Asthma In Children

Last updated September 2009
Edited by: Guy Slowik, FRCS

Recognizing When An Attack Is Coming

Children will learn to recognize when an attack may be coming. Here are some of the most common signs:

  • A change in breathing pattern

  • A runny, stuffy nose

  • A cough

  • Feeling or looking tired

  • An itchy, scratchy throat

  • Headache

  • Bad mood

  • Difficulty sleeping

  • Stomachache

These are the signs of a more serious attack:

  • The child has great trouble breathing. The chest sinks in, and the stomach pushes out quickly as the child strains to breathe.

  • The child can't talk.

  • The child finds it hard to walk or to eat.

  • Lips or fingers may look blue.

  • Rescue medication doesn't improve the child's breathing within 15 minutes.

  • A dose of rescue medication works at first, but the asthma A chronic, reversible obstruction of the airways. Allergic asthma is caused by an allergic stimulus; most common in children and adults; caused by exposure to substances such as dust mites, plants, pollens, and molds. Nonallergic asthma is caused by exposure to substances or conditions such as cold air, exercise, or respiratory infections, rather than exposure to allergens. comes back in less than 24 hours.

  • The readings of the peak flow meter A small, portable monitoring device that measures the amount of effort to force air out of the lungs; obstructive diseases such as asthma often cause an increase in the effort to breath out, which shows as a decreased value on the peak flow meter. stays in the red zone after using rescue medications.

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