Childhood Asthma: Will my child outgrow his/her asthma??

If your child has recurrent cough, wheezing, chest tightness or shortness of breath, they may have one or more forms of asthma. Asthmatic children, if not treated, may have less stamina than other children, and they often avoid exertion to prevent coughing or wheezing. They also may have chest congestion and wheezing with colds. Asthma has multiple causes, and it is common that a child has more than one cause responsible for asthma. Coughing (cough- variant asthma), recurrent bronchitis (infectious asthma), and shortness of breath with exercise (exercise induced asthma), are also ways that asthma may appear.

Will my child outgrow his/her asthma?

If the child has atopic dermatitis (eczema), allergies (environmental and/or food) or a strong family history of allergies or asthma, there is a higher chance that asthma symptoms will persist. It is likely that children who have wheeze with viral respiratory illnesses/colds may grow out of it as they grow older. Allergists utilize a test called “Asthma predictive index” to determine your child’s future risk of persistent asthma.

Can asthma be cured?

Not as yet!! But asthma can be controlled throughout life with appropriate diagnosis, education and treatment for most children and adults.

Should my child exercise?

Once a child's asthma is well-controlled, their life style should include daily physical activities. Infact, many Olympic athletes have asthma!! Children with asthma certainly can and do excel in athletics. Diagnosis and Management An allergist has specialized training and experience to determine if your child has asthma, the cause(s) for it and help develop a treatment plan. A detailed history will be conducted which will include particular triggers for your child's symptoms. Family history and environment (such as smoking or pets) will also be stressed upon. Colds and allergens are the most common triggers for childhood asthma. Asthmatic children should have an allergy evaluation to help diagnose and manage their asthma. Avoiding the allergens to which your child is allergic may help improve their asthma. Asthma medications include inhaled rescue medications to treat symptoms, and long-term controller medicines to control inflammation that commonly causes the asthma. An ongoing relationship with your allergist is important to manage asthma better.