Asthma - what to ask your doctor - child

What to ask your doctor about asthma - child

Asthma is a problem with the airways that bring oxygen to your lungs. A child with asthma may not feel symptoms all the time. But when an asthma attack happens, it becomes hard for air to pass through the airways. The symptoms are:

  • Coughing
  • Wheezing
  • Chest tightness
  • Shortness of breath

Below are some questions you may want to ask your health care provider to help you take care of your child's asthma.

Normal versus asthmatic bronchiole

During an asthma attack smooth muscles located in the bronchioles of the lung constrict and decrease the flow of air in the airways. The amount of air flow can further be decreased by inflammation or excess mucus secretion.

Asthma triggers

It is important to know what things make your asthma worse. These are called asthma triggers. Avoiding them is your first step toward controlling your asthma and feeling better. The most common asthma triggers are respiratory tract infections caused by viruses such as the flu, common cold, and other viruses. Other triggers are cold and dry air, mold, pets, dust, grasses, pollen, cockroaches, odors from chemicals, and smoke from cigarettes.

Questions