Asthma In Babies And Toddlers

If your child ever develops a viral respiratory infection be sure to look for signs of asthma.

Asthma in babies and toddlers.

Many babies toddlers and preschoolers are treated for asthma by their pediatrician. Childhood asthma can cause bothersome daily symptoms that interfere with play sports school and sleep. Rapid or difficult breathing may show as exaggerated belly movement or flaring nostrils getting out of breath easily especially when playing chest tightness a young child may simply say their chest hurts or feels funny wheezing or whistling sound when. A cough that doesn t go away which may be the only symptom coughing spells that happen often especially during play or exercise at night in cold air or while laughing or.

About 16 of black children and 7 of white children have asthma. However if their asthma symptoms are not under control within three to six months or if symptoms are severe and persistent or if the asthma episodes require emergency treatment it may be time to see an asthma specialist. Asthma in toddlers often occurs due to the inflammation in the lungs and airways when they are exposed to triggers like airborne pollen or air pollution. A cough that gets worse after a viral infection less energy during.

Emotions such as crying yelling and laughing or some strong reactions and stress can also trigger wheezing or coughing in babies. Diagnosing and managing asthma in children under age 5 can be difficult. The first signs of asthma in your baby may be triggered by a respiratory infection. In infants and toddlers it may be hard for parents and even doctors to recognize symptoms are due to asthma.

A baby has much. Bronchial tubes in infants toddlers and preschoolers are already small and narrow and colds and other illnesses can inflame airways making them even smaller and more irritated. Infants are usually treated with medication given by a nebulizer or with an inhaler using a spacer with a mask. Asthma is a serious disease causing wheezing difficulty breathing and coughing.

Also standard diagnostic tests used to measure how well someone is breathing cannot be used easily or accurately with children under age 5. While we don t know what causes asthma we do know how to prevent asthma attacks or at least make them less severe. Medicines used to treat asthma symptoms in infants and toddlers are usually given in inhaled forms. In childhood asthma the lungs and airways become easily inflamed when exposed to certain triggers such as inhaling pollen or catching a cold or other respiratory infection.

Over a lifetime it can cause permanent lung damage.