How Do I Know My Child’s Asthma is Well Controlled?*
You know your child’s asthma is well controlled if, with medication and proper treatment, your child:
Lives an active, normal life
Has few troublesome symptoms
Attends school every day
Performs daily activities without difficulty
Has few urgent visits to the doctor, emergency department, or hospital for asthma
Has few medication side effects
Asthma Medications for Children*
If an infant or child is experiencing symptoms of asthma requiring treatment with a bronchodilator medication more than twice a week, most doctors recommend daily anti-inflammatory medication.
Most asthma medications that are given to adults and older children can also be prescribed to toddlers and younger children.
Asthma is often difficult to diagnose in infants. The disease can often be diagnosed in older children based on the child’s medical history, symptoms and physical exam.
Information for Parents
In the United States, about 20 million people have asthma; nearly nine million of them are children. Asthma can begin at any age, but most children have their first symptoms by age five. Children’s airways are smaller than those of adults, so having asthma may be especially serious for them.