Will My Child’s Asthma Go Away?

If park life with its blanket sitting, people watching, and snoozing in the sun are tops on your spring to-do list, you may find it easy to take fresh, clean air for granted since it always seems to be where we need it when we need it. Children with asthma face a different reality and may have an altogether different definition of clean air and its relative availability.

There are over 4.5 million children with asthma in the U.S. with symptoms often beginning before the age of 5. A better understanding of asthma and its triggers helps us recognize the differences between it and the viral respiratory infections that are part of every child’s life.

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a disease that occurs when a person’s airways become sensitive to a trigger, or something in the indoor or outdoor environment. When exposed to a trigger the linings of the airways swell and become inflamed, the surrounding muscles tighten, and the airways begin to produce mucus that is thicker than normal. The airways narrow, making it difficult for the lungs to take in or expel air. Asthma can go undiagnosed as the symptoms are easily confused with typical viral illnesses which can provoke it. Asthma can come and go according to the season or environmental changes making its diagnosis even trickier. However certain signs can help you determine if your child should see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

Signs and Symptoms of Asthma:

While the root cause of asthma is unknown, a doctor can help manage it and assist with the creation of an Asthma Action Plan. An Action Plan helps parents, teachers, and caregivers know how to help manage a child’s asthma, and when to seek medical help.

Babies & toddlers

• Fast breathing
• Difficulty breathing
• Flaring nostrils
• Skin sucking in around and between ribs or above the sternum
• Exaggerated stomach movement
• Panting even during normal activities
• Wheezing (a whistling sound)
• Constant coughing
• Difficulty sucking or eating
• Tiredness, uninterested in typical or favorite activities
• Cyanosis is a tissue color change on mucus membranes (tongue, lips, and around the eyes) and fingertips or nail beds – cyanosis appears grayish or whitish on darker skin tones and bluish on lighter skin tones

School-age children & teens

• Any of the above signs or symptoms
• Shortness of breath
• Cough
• Chest tightness or pain
• Wheeze (a whistling sound when breathing)
• Waking at night due to breathing issues
• Fatigue

Has My Child’s Asthma Gone Away?

It is common for a child to appear to ‘outgrow’ asthma, however, asthma has no known cure. If your child’s symptoms have diminished, it is possible that what they are experiencing is a temporary sort of remission with airways that have become less reactive. However, it is important to recognize that the absence of symptoms may not last. Of the children who had seemed to outgrow asthma, about half of them will see their symptoms reappear when they reach their 30s and 40s and new asthma triggers may accompany revived symptoms.

Asthma Triggers can include:

• Viral respiratory infections
• Exercise and physical activity
• Cold and dry air
• Big temperature and weather changes
• Allergens (like pet dander, dust mites, pollen)
• Strong odors, irritants, airborne chemicals
• Smoke (wildfire, cooking, cigarette, vaping)
• Certain medications
• Poor air quality and pollution- Indoor or outdoor
• Strong emotions

Potential asthma triggers vary between people, however a reduction in triggers whether through finding the right combination of medicines, moving to a new house or geographic location, or employing an air purification system can play a part in the appearance of asthma going away.

Asthma in the United States is slowly ticking upward. Children are diagnosed equally with asthma despite gender, however, in adulthood females are more likely affected by asthma than males. Only about 6.2% of children in the U.S. have an asthma diagnosis, versus 8.7% of adults 18 and older. So, if your child has asthma make sure they stick with their prescribed medication routine to keep symptoms as minimal as possible and let them know that while they may notice a decrease in symptoms as they mature, they ought to remain vigilant for any signs of airway constriction in the future and be prepared to visit their doctor.

If your child suffers from asthma, visit AFC Urgent Care Ballantyne for guidance and care as your family navigates these health situations.