Pediatric FAQs
Motherhood Hospital > FAQs
What are the symptoms of asthma?
Asthma symptoms can include:
- Wheezing, or noisy breathing
- Coughing, often at night or early in the morning, or when you exercise
- A tight feeling in the chest
- Trouble breathing
- Symptoms can happen each day, each week, or less often. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. Although rare, an episode of
- asthma can lead to death.
Can asthma symptoms be prevented?
Yes. You can help prevent your child’s asthma symptoms by giving your child the daily medicines the doctor prescribes. You can also keep your child away from things that cause or make the symptoms worse. Doctors call these “triggers.” If you know what your child’s triggers are, you can try to avoid them. If you don’t know what they are, your doctor can help figure it out.
Some common triggers include:
- Getting sick with a cold or the flu (that’s why it’s important to get a flu shot each year)
- Allergens (such as dust mites; molds; furry animals, including cats and dogs; and pollens from trees, grasses, and weeds)
- Cigarette smoke
- Exercise
- Changes in weather, cold air, hot and humid air
If you can’t avoid certain triggers, talk with your doctor about what you can do. For example, exercise can be good for children with asthma. But your child might need to take an extra dose of his or her quick-relief inhaler before exercising.
Why should my child get vaccinated?
Getting vaccinated can help keep your child from getting sick. If your child does get sick, being vaccinated can keep them from getting severely ill. Plus, being vaccinated also helps protect the people around your child from getting sick.