Get Help From Your Pediatrician If Your Child Has Asthma

What your pediatrician in Grayslake wants you to know about asthma in children

If your child has asthma, it can be a scary condition to deal with. Children’s airways are much smaller than adults, making your child’s symptoms more severe. It’s important to know the facts about asthma and how treatment can help. Your pediatricians at Mundelein Pediatrics in Grayslake, IL want to help you and your child cope with asthma and its effects.

Your child may have asthma if they experience these signs and symptoms:

• Wheezing and coughing
• Difficulty breathing
• Discomfort or tightness in the chest area
• Recurring bronchitis

If your child is an infant, they may feed slowly or have shortness of breath when feeding. If your child is a toddler, they may not play or run because they can’t breathe well. They may tire easily or cough when playing or running. You may notice your child’s cold lasting longer or bouts of coughing that worsen at night.

Asthma can also be a life-threatening condition. Your pediatricians in Grayslake want you to seek emergency treatment if your child is experiencing:

• Trouble speaking because of breathing difficulties
• Gasping or inability to breathe
• Breathing in that results in the abdomen getting sucked under the ribs

Your pediatricians will perform testing to determine your child’s level of lung function. Common tests include spirometry or peak flow measurement, and testing nitric oxide levels which measures how well your child’s lungs are working.

Depending on the severity of your child’s asthma, your pediatricians may recommend a combination of long-term asthma medications and short-term rescue inhalers. They may also recommend sublingual immunotherapy to treat asthma caused by environmental allergies.

If you suspect your child may have asthma, it’s important to keep your child away from cigarette smoke, or triggers that can cause an allergic response.

Don’t wait to get help if you think your child may have asthma, especially when relief is just a phone call away. Call your pediatricians at Mundelein Pediatrics in Grayslake, IL. Help your child breathe better by calling today!