Causes (2)
- Pet allergy
- Dust mite allergy
Lifestyle and home remedies (1)
- Asthma in children: Creating an asthma action plan
Prevention (2)
- Children and exercise-induced asthma: Playing sports safely
- Asthma: Limit asthma attacks caused by colds or flu
Tests and diagnosis (1)
- Spirometry
Treatments and drugs (3)
- Asthma in children under 5
- Treating asthma in children ages 5 to 11
- Treating asthma in children ages 12 and older
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Treating asthma in children ages 5 to 11
Treating asthma in children ages 5 to 11 requires some specialized techniques. Discover tips on symptoms, medications and an asthma action plan.
By Mayo Clinic staffAsthma in children is a common, chronic ailment that can interfere with daily activities and cause disruptive flare-ups. If your son or daughter has breathing problems you think might be caused by asthma, see the doctor. Early diagnosis of asthma in children is important. Proper treatment of asthma in children not only improves day-to-day breathing and reduces asthma flare-ups — it may also help prevent damage to your child's growing lungs.
Asthma in children varies by age group. Diagnosis and treatment of asthma in children is different for elementary schoolchildren than it is for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and teens. Asthma in children also varies from child to child, and symptoms may get better or worse at certain times. In some children, asthma symptoms get better with age. While it can't be cured, asthma can be managed using the treatment plan you develop with your child's doctor.
Asthma symptoms in children ages 5-11
Common asthma symptoms in children ages 5 to 11 include:
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Difficulty breathing
- Recurring pneumonia
Some children have few day-to-day symptoms, but have bad asthma attacks now and then. Other children have regular, mild symptoms or symptoms that get worse at certain times.
You may notice that your child's asthma symptoms get worse at night, with activity, when your son or daughter has a cold, or with outside triggers such as cigarette smoke or seasonal allergens. Asthma symptoms common in children this age include avoiding exercise and lots of coughing or wheezing when they have a cold.
Asthma emergencies
For some children, severe asthma attacks can be life-threatening and require a trip to the emergency room. Signs and symptoms of an asthma emergency in children ages 5 to 11 include:
- Lots of trouble breathing and coughing or wheezing, especially if symptoms don't improve with treatment
- Peak flow rates in the "red" zone, if your child uses a peak flow meter
- Leaning forward in a sitting position to breathe
- Being unable to speak without gasping
Tests to diagnose and monitor asthma
In children 6 years of age and older, doctors diagnose and monitor asthma with the same tests used in adults. Lung function (spirometry) tests measure how quickly and how much air your child can exhale.
Your child's doctor may be able to check the inflammation in your son or daughter's airways with a newer test that measures nitric oxide levels in your child's breath. In general, higher levels of nitric oxide mean your son or daughter's lungs aren't working as well as they should be, and asthma isn't under control.
Measuring lung function at home
Your child's doctor may give your son or daughter a portable, hand-held device known as a peak flow meter to check lung function at home on a regular basis. This device measures how much air your child can exhale quickly. Low readings indicate worsening asthma. You and your child may notice low peak flow readings before any worsening symptoms become apparent, and adjust treatment ahead of time to prevent a flare-up.
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- Expert panel report 3 (EPR3): Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. Bethesda, Md.: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.htm. Accessed Dec. 1, 2008.
- Liu AH. Childhood asthma. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/100024376-12/727446153/1608/440.html#4- 1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50145-6--cesec11_3422. Accessed April 23, 2008.
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