Asthma is a highly common breathing-related disorder that affects approximately five million American children, reports the American Academy of Pediatrics. Diagnosing this disorder quickly is important, as there are treatments that can prevent the problem from becoming even more difficult for your child to bear. If you think that your child may be one of the five million kids who suffer from asthma, be on the look out for some signs of the disorder, and share your concerns with his doctor as soon as possible.
Step 1
Monitor your child’s breathing. A healthy child’s breathing should be nearly silent. If you can hear wheezing or your child seems to making an audible attempt to strain for breath, it could be a sign of asthma, reports FamilyDoctor.org.
Step 2
Listen for mucus-filled coughs. Every child gets a cough from time to time, but children who suffer from asthma sometimes appear to have a cough that never quite goes away. An asthma-related cough is often quite different from the norm, and appears to be full of mucus or sound wet. If your child develops a cough of this type and it doesn’t abate on its own, it could be a sign of asthma.
Step 3
Monitor your child’s sleeping patterns. Many children who suffer from asthma have trouble speaking as a result of their struggle to breathe, reports MayoClinic.com. If your child starts to wake regularly in the night complaining of wheezing or coughing, asthma may be the root of his troubles.
Step 4
Identify and watch for triggers when your child exhibits breathing problems. Often times, asthma symptoms are heightened by triggers. If your child appears to experience more trouble breathing around dust, in a smoky environment, after exercise, in severely warmer or colder temperatures or after eating certain foods, he may be experiencing asthma related problems, reports FamilyDoctor.org.
Step 5
Take your child to the doctor for an evaluation. If you think that your child is suffering from asthma, it is vital that you receive an official diagnosis from a medical professional. Jot down the symptoms of asthma that you feel you have spotted and share these findings with your pediatrician as soon as possible.
