What is asthma in children?
Asthma is a condition that can make it hard to breathe. It happens when the tiny air passages in your lungs get swollen or inflamed. This makes it harder for air to get in and out. Like allergies, asthma can be triggered by substances in the air. Common asthma triggers include dust mites, pollen or animal fur. Other things that can cause asthma symptoms are tobacco smoke, air pollution, exercise or an illness (such as a cold). Children under around 5 or 6 years old can have problems with wheezing. But it’s hard to know whether their wheezing is caused by asthma. Babies and young children often wheeze if they have a cold, for example. It’s best for children not to take asthma medicines unless they really need them. Doctors sometimes suggest a trial of asthma medicines, and check on the child every so often to make sure the treatment is the right one. What are the symptoms? The symptoms of asthma vary from child to child. Some children just get a cough. Other symptoms include wheezing, d