Asthma Diagnosis in Toddlers

Overview

More than 17 percent of toddler emergency room visits are due to asthma, according to Toddlers Today. Asthma can be a difficult condition to diagnose in children, according to Baby Center. Because your toddler also can experience colds, allergies, eczema or viral infections that cause wheezing symptoms similar to asthma, a definitive asthma diagnosis requires a physician's evaluation.

Significance

Asthma occurs when your child's airways swell and fill with mucus, according to What to Expect. This occurs as a reaction to an irritant, typically an allergen. This condition is most commonly diagnosed in toddlers--an estimated 70 percent of cases were diagnosed before a child turns 3.

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Identification

Asthma in toddlers can range from mild occurrences to severe, according to What to Expect. Your child may complain of trouble breathing, tightness in the chest, coughing or wheezing. You may notice her breathing sounds like a whistle, according to Baby Center. Certain situations may exacerbate the condition, such as being exposed to cigarette smoke, dust or pollution, or your toddler being overweight for her age.

Diagnosis

Once you have identified the possible symptoms of asthma in your toddler, seek medical attention for your child. Your child's physician will ask you about your child's symptoms and your and your partner's medical history, because if you experience asthma, your child is more likely to as well. Although there are tests to measure lung function, these tests typically are not useful in children younger than age 6 who may not have the lung capacity to obtain a true measure. For this reason, diagnosis will depend chiefly on your child's symptoms.

Considerations

An estimated 75 to 80 percent of asthmatic children also suffer from severe allergies, according to Baby Center. When seeking a diagnosis for asthma, ask your physician about potential allergens that could be disrupting your child's breathing. Avoidance can be one measure to reduce allergy and asthma symptoms--therefore a diagnosis that considers allergies should be performed as well.

Solution

Asthma can be difficult to treat in toddlers because they cannot take pill medications, and inhalers, which deliver medication to open the airways, can be difficult for a toddler to use, according to What to Expect. Your doctor will likely recommend holding off on medications unless symptoms are severe. For children who need immediate medical treatment due to severe asthma, a mask that is attached to a nebulizer, or mask that delivers medication, can be placed over your child's face. Avoidance of substances that cause asthma also may help to reduce asthma--playing outdoors in the spring and/or fall when pollen counts are at their peak, according to Healthtree