Do You Think Your Child Has Asthma?

It can be upsetting when your child is struggling with a health issue. It's especially unnerving if your child seems to be struggling to breathe. Could your child have asthma, a known common chronic disease?

Here’s what parents need to know about asthma. 

Ask Yourself a Couple Questions 

Is there a family history of asthma or allergies? 

Asthma is a health problem that tends to run in families. Sufferers have overly sensitive airways that swell, tighten and make too much mucus. Who’s at highest risk of getting asthma? Children who are born premature, live with smokers, or have parents or close family members who have allergies or asthma.

Health experts are still trying to figure out what causes asthma, but it seems to be a combination of family history and exposure to environmental causes.

Do you hear a high-pitched whistle or wheeze when your child has trouble breathing? Does your child cough often? Does your child become short of breath? Does he or she complain about troubled breathing or chest tightness? 

These can all be symptoms of asthma.

About half of children with asthma develop symptoms by age two. Nearly 80% will have symptoms by age five. Still, detecting asthma in babies and toddlers can be hard. When very young, children can get certain lung infections that cause their tiny airways to easily fill with mucus. This can lead to wheezing that may sound like asthma but isn’t.

Don't Wait

If you think your child may have asthma, don’t wait. Take them to see a doctor. A medical history, certain breathing tests, and allergy screenings can help decide if treatment is needed.

Children should be screened for asthma if they have:

• Breathing difficulties or coughing especially at night or early in the morning
• Respiratory infections
• Regular exposure to smoke
• Regular exposure to pet dander
• Coughing after exercise, running or crying

Let your child’s doctor know if anyone in your family has asthma  or allergies.  Mention any food allergies, hay fever, hives and eczema.

When kids are five and older, doctors can diagnose and monitor asthma with the same breathing tests they use for adults. The tests measure how much air your child can quickly exhale. It’s an important sign of how well the lungs are working. 

Younger children may not be able to do these tests. Instead, asthma is more commonly diagnosed based on a repeat history of breathing problems from common triggers. 

Asthma is a chronic condition. Symptoms can flare up at any time. Monitoring triggers and symptoms can lead to fewer asthma problems.

Find Your Child’s Asthma Triggers

Triggers cause the lungs to overreact, but they aren’t the same for everyone. Work with a doctor to find your child’s allergic triggers. Then talk through ways you can avoid or control them. Often, triggers are allergens such as dust mites or pollen. They can also be cold or flu viruses. Exercise can trigger asthma. So can cigarette smoke and strong fragrances.

Some common triggers like pets are year-round problems. Dry air and cold weather can be seasonal, or location based. Knowing your child’s triggers and reducing exposure to them helps prevent asthma flare-ups. 

Follow a Treatment Plan 

Proper treatment can make a big difference in your child’s life. At home, your child may sleep better when symptoms are under control. They may miss fewer school days. On the playground and sports field, they may have more energy and be able to join in the fun.

Since allergies are a common trigger for asthma symptoms, talk to your child’s doctor about allergy treatments. There are many options like nasal sprays, prescription drugs and allergy shots that can help keep allergies in control.

Keep in mind that regular follow-up visits are needed to make sure your child doesn’t outgrow their treatment. 

Have a Plan to Keep Asthma in Check

Make sure you have an Asthma Action Plan. The plan should outline steps to help your child during an asthma flare up. Share the plan with your child’s school and any caregivers, including grandparents and babysitters. 

Sources: Childhood Asthma, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 2026; Childhood Asthma,  Mayo Clinic, 2025; What is Asthma?,  American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 2023; Asthma Facts and Figures,  Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 2026; Types of Allergies,  American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; Asthma,  National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2024