How do i know if my child has asthma?

Expiratory wheezing: Everything from allergic rhinitis to full blown asthma attack is because of your immune systems responce to your environment. A lot of children present with constant runny noses and mom and dad don't notice the wheezing. Later as the child is exposed to more allergens they notice that it gets more difficult to breath in certain situations like exercising, or when it gets cold. Wheezing......

History: History of symptoms tends to be very important in children. Cough with exertion, laughing or crying, cough with uris, wheezing, or cough at night, all can be clues to childhood asthma. A physical exam helps and then as the child gets older, specialized lung function tests can be done to confirm the diagnosis.

Symptoms, tests: Symptoms of pediatric asthma are cough, wheeze, and/or difficulty breathing/shortness of breath that is recurrent and commonly triggered by colds, exercise, cold air and at night. If over 5 yrs old a breathing test called spirometry will be done. Albuterol that treats asthma can be used and if symptoms improve, that is suggestive. Chest x-ray usually normal. Allergies commonly coincide.