Asthma is a very common condition affecting the lungs that can cause moderate to severe breathing difficulties, which, in the most serious cases, can be life-threatening. It can affect people of all ages but is often identified in childhood. Treatment of asthma is usually to manage the condition to prevent it from having a significant impact on daily life; however, there is no cure for the illness at present.
What is childhood asthma?
Over one million children in the UK are diagnosed with asthma, which causes the lungs and airway to become swollen and inflamed, making breathing difficult. The condition in childhood is the same illness that some adults experience, but it affects young people differently.
For children who suffer from asthma, symptoms are more likely to be intermittent, although some youngsters do experience symptoms most days. Because young people tend to be more sensitive to allergens, such as pollen, dust mites, smoke, and household detergents, they may be more prone to a worsening of their symptoms or even an asthma attack, which can be serious and require immediate medical intervention. For some children, asthma improves during puberty, and symptoms may lessen or even disappear, although a recurrence later in life is common.
For children, asthma can affect their quality of life and their ability to take part in everyday activities, such as sport or playing outside. Sleep can also be affected, causing fatigue which can impact on their ability to learn effectively at school.
Symptoms of childhood asthma
Diagnosing asthma in children can be difficult, as young people do not always display the same symptoms, and the symptoms may come and go or vary even in the same child. Children, particularly below the age of five, are prone to other breathing complaints, such as chest infections, bronchiolitis, or reactive airways disease which may share similar symptoms with asthma.
In children, the following symptoms may indicate the possible existence of asthma:
- A chronic cough that persists beyond the time a viral infection would last.
- Frequent spells of coughing, during or after play, while crying or laughing, or at night.
- Tightness of the chest or pain in the chest.
- Wheezing or whistling when inhaling or exhaling.
- Rapid breathing, sometimes intermittent, shortness of breath, or lack of energy during physical activity.
Be aware that, for some children, a persistent or recurrent cough may be the only symptom that presents. Also, many younger children have difficulty explaining where pain is, so discomfort in the chest may be described as ‘tummy pain’.
Complications of untreated childhood asthma
Asthma is a chronic condition that does not improve by itself in the short-term. If left untreated, it can have a negative effect on the daily life and health of a child:
- Sleep deprivation: if symptoms tend to occur at night, your child may experience sleep deprivation, affecting academic performance at school and limiting their progress. This can be damaging for their long-term attainment and success.
- Poor physical health: children who have asthma may not be able to take part in physical activities as energetically as their peers. A lack of exercise can cause other health complications, including weight gain, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
If asthma is severe, the chance of a potentially life-threatening asthma attack is increased, almost always needing urgent medical treatment and possible hospitalisation. Continuous inflammation of the airway can also cause permanent changes in its structure (airway remodelling), which can impair lung function, lead to chronic coughing, and increase mucus production in the lungs.
If you suspect your child has asthma or displays persistent breathing or lung problems that do not resolve within a short time, seek professional advice from your medical practitioner. They can carry out a proper diagnostic assessment and prescribe appropriate treatments if required.
Do you have a child who suffers with asthma?
Let me know in the comments below.
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My mum has asthma and I wondered if me and my children would get it but so far ok! It sounds quite nasty and Very informative post x
Lots of great advice in this post. As someone who grew up fine and then got asthma in my late teens the whole experience was a nightmare lol
I know a lot of friends whose children have asthma, some are worse than others. It is so important to recognise the symptoms. I know a child at my boys school had an asthma attack last week and ended up calling an ambulance.
Very informative post. Both my son and I had childhood asthma, thankfully we both grew out of it.
Thank you for sharing x
Thanks for the post. Erin doesn’t have asthma so I don’t know much about it.
This is a great post, my brother has asthma and he struggled loads when he was young.
My boys both had constant troubles with bronchitis and persistent coughs when they were little, and were on inhalers until they were 4. We were worried they would develop long term problems like asthma, but luckily they both grew out of it.
Good advice here. I’m asthmatic myself, but luckily my 2 children don’t seem to be
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I had asthma as a child, but thankfully as I grew up it affected me less and less. Thankfully my children don’t seem to be.
Great advice. I had an asthma as a child but thankfully grew out of it