Symptoms

Common childhood asthma signs and symptoms include:

• Frequent coughing that worsens when your child has a viral infection, occurs while your child is asleep or is triggered by exercise or cold air
• A whistling or wheezing sound when breathing out
• Shortness of breath
• Chest congestion or tightness

Childhood asthma might also cause:

• Trouble sleeping due to shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing
• Bouts of coughing or wheezing that get worse with a cold or the flu
• Delayed recovery or bronchitis after a respiratory infection
• Trouble breathing that hampers play or exercise
• Fatigue, which can be due to poor sleep

Asthma signs and symptoms vary from child to child, and might get worse or better over time. Your child might have only one indication, such as a lingering cough or chest congestion.

It can be difficult to tell whether your child's symptoms are caused by asthma. Periodic or long-lasting wheezing and other asthma-like symptoms can be caused by infectious bronchitis or another respiratory problem.

When to see a doctor

Take your child to see the doctor if you suspect he or she has asthma. Early treatment will help control symptoms and possibly prevent asthma attacks.

Make an appointment with your child's doctor if you notice:

• Coughing that is constant, is intermittent or seems linked to physical activity
• Wheezing or whistling sounds when your child breathes out
• Shortness of breath or rapid breathing
• Complaints of chest tightness
• Repeated episodes of suspected bronchitis or pneumonia

If your child has asthma, he or she may say things such as, "My chest feels funny" or "I'm always coughing." Listen for coughing, which might not wake your child, when he or she is asleep. Crying, laughing, yelling, or strong emotional reactions and stress also might trigger coughing or wheezing.

If your child is diagnosed with asthma, creating an asthma plan can help you and other caregivers monitor symptoms and know what to do if an asthma attack occurs.

When to seek emergency treatment

In severe cases, you might see your child's chest and sides pulling inward as he or she struggles to breathe. Your child might have an increased heartbeat, sweating and chest pain. Seek emergency care if your child:

• Has to stop in midsentence to catch his or her breath
• Is using abdominal muscles to breathe
• Has widened nostrils when breathing in
• Is trying so hard to breathe that the abdomen is sucked under the ribs when he or she breathes in

Even if your child hasn't been diagnosed with asthma, seek medical attention immediately if he or she has trouble breathing. Although episodes of asthma vary in severity, asthma attacks can start with coughing, which progresses to wheezing and labored breathing.