How to Tell if Your Child Has Asthma

Of course a doctor is the best person to determine if your child has asthma, but often by the time a child with asthma gets to the doctor's office his symptoms have lessened or disappeared.

Things You'll Need

• Notebook for keeping a journal of your child's symptoms
• Stethoscope

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Instructions

• 1

  Coughing is a major symptom of asthma in children. If your child has frequent bouts of sickness with uncontrollable coughing, she may have asthma. Children with asthma usually cough the most at night but coughing can happen at any time. Coughing may be so severe that it causes your child to vomit.

• 2

  Look at your child's stomach when he is having a coughing fit. If the stomach is being sucked in hard with each breath this could be a sign of asthma. The skin may be sucked in to the spaces between your child's ribs when she breathes.

• 3

  Listen to your child's breathing. If the breathing is fast and shallow she could be having an asthma attack. An inexpensive stethoscope can be used to listen to your child's breathing in the chest and back area. If you hear any wheezing, this is a sign of asthma.

• 4

  Keep a journal of your child's symptoms. Does your child get sick more often at home or at someone else's home? Do you have any pets? What time of day do the attacks occur? Asthma in children is often triggered by allergies but it can also be triggered by a cold or a viral illness. This journal will help your doctor determine if your child has asthma and the best way to treat it.

• 5

  If you suspect asthma, it is important to get treatment for your child as soon as possible. Asthma attacks require special medication to help your child breathe. If your child shows severe symptoms of asthma such as extreme difficulty breathing or fingernails and/or lips turning blue, you should rush him to the emergency room or call 911.