One of the more difficult things in being a parent is to care for the health and well-being of our children. This no doubt causes many of us anxiety and to worry if are doing the right things to care for our children. One of the biggest problems we have is that children simply do not come with an operator's manual that explains everything that can go wrong.



A good example of this is found in dealing with respiratory illness and disorders. Kids seem to pick up and share every flu and other illness that makes an appearance at the local daycare or school. Our job is parents is to determine if our sick child has one of those common flu-like illnesses or if the symptoms point to something much more serious.

The problem with asthma is that the symptoms are often very similar to bronchitis and other very common respiratory infections.

Childhood Asthma Symptoms:

Coughing.

Coughing is caused by a buildup of mucus in the bronchial tubes that needs to be cleared. Mucus is a good indication of a respiratory infection or irritation. Coughing however is symptomatic of many childhood and adult illnesses. Although coughing is a symptom, the type of cough plays a role in identifying and understanding the underlying cause. Simply put, a rattling or loose type cough can suggest one type of illness, while a tight or hacking cough can lead a medical doctor in a different direction. Understand that both types of coughing, indicate illness but it's the type of cough that helps a doctor accurately diagnose the problem

Wheezing.

Wheezing is a whistling type of sound that you can hear when your child breathes. Although most commonly associated with asthma, some do not wheeze while others without asthma have a tendency to wheeze when ill. Again, accurate diagnosis is critical to determine the cause and if it is asthma develop an effective treatment plan.

Chest Congestion and Tightness.

Chest congestion is symptomatic of influenza, but can also indicate a more serious respiratory disease like asthma.

Shortness of Breath

Many asthma sufferers experience shortness of breath so profound that they feel as if they're being smothered. This is serious because asthma actually constricts air passageways making it almost impossible to get enough air into the lungs

These signs and symptoms may indicate that your child is suffering from asthma. While as a parent you cannot be expected to understand how these various symptoms interact or be able to accurately diagnose and illness, your medical doctor can. If you suspect that your child has developed a respiratory illness, get them to the doctor as soon as practical and get an accurate diagnosis