| According to the Mayo Clinic, a well respected medical | | | | can indicate certain illnesses |
| resource, and the American Family Physician, a | | | | 2. Wheezing. Wheezing is most commonly associated |
| newsletter from the American Academy of Family | | | | with asthma, however, all children with asthma do not |
| Physicians, childhood asthma has risen significantly in | | | | necessarily wheeze. You can identify wheezing as a |
| over the past few decades. The American Lung | | | | whistling type sound when your child breathes. |
| Association states that in 2004, an estimated 4 million | | | | 3. Chest congestion and tightness. |
| children under 18 years old have had an asthma attack | | | | 4. Shortness of breath |
| in the past 12 months, and many others have "hidden" | | | | While these signs and symptoms may indicate |
| or undiagnosed asthma. | | | | childhood asthma, they may also point to various |
| Asthma is the most common cause of school | | | | illnesses common to kids. As a parent, you cannot be |
| absenteeism due to chronic disease and accounted | | | | expected to understand how various symptoms may |
| for an estimated 14 million lost school days. They claim | | | | interact or be able to accurately diagnose an illness |
| that childhood asthma has become more widespread | | | | such as asthma. |
| and is now the most common chronic illness in children. | | | | Another factor to consider is frequency. The child who |
| If you have children, it's important that you can | | | | frequently coughs or suffers ongoing or recurrent |
| recognize the symptoms and signs of an asthmatic | | | | bouts of respiratory infection illnesses such as |
| condition. Understand that the symptoms below "may" | | | | pneumonia or bronchitis may have childhood asthma. |
| indicate asthma, but could be symptomatic of a wide | | | | As you can see, the diagnosis of this disease can only |
| range of bronchial or pulmonary illnesses. | | | | accurately be done by a medical doctor. Childhood |
| The most common signs and symptoms of childhood | | | | asthma is a disease that has been strongly associated |
| asthma are very similar to bronchitis and other | | | | with genetic factors and usually involves some aspect |
| respiratory infections. The symptoms include: | | | | of allergies. In the American Family Physician |
| 1. Coughing. The need to cough is created by mucus, | | | | newsletter of April 2001 it was suggested that almost |
| which builds up and needs to be cleared. The mucus is | | | | 80% of children with asthma can be expected to have |
| usually caused by some type of infection or irritation. | | | | allergies. This suggests that one strategy to control |
| Coughing is symptomatic of many childhood and adult | | | | childhood asthma attacks is to control the |
| illnesses. Notice that although coughing is a symptom, | | | | environmental factors that may trigger an event. |
| the type of cough plays a role in understanding the | | | | Those triggers may include dust, dirt, pollen and other |
| cause. Simply put, a rattling or lose type cough is very | | | | factors. |
| different than a tight or hacking cough and both types | | | | |