| One of the more difficult things in being a parent is to | | | | medical doctor in a different direction. Understand that |
| care for the health and well-being of our children. This | | | | both types of coughing, indicate illness but it's the type |
| no doubt causes many of us anxiety and to worry if | | | | of cough that helps a doctor accurately diagnose the |
| are doing the right things to care for our children. One | | | | problem |
| of the biggest problems we have is that children simply | | | | Wheezing. |
| do not come with an operator's manual that explains | | | | Wheezing is a whistling type of sound that you can |
| everything that can go wrong. | | | | hear when your child breathes. Although most |
| A good example of this is found in dealing with | | | | commonly associated with asthma, some do not |
| respiratory illness and disorders. Kids seem to pick up | | | | wheeze while others without asthma have a tendency |
| and share every flu and other illness that makes an | | | | to wheeze when ill. Again, accurate diagnosis is critical |
| appearance at the local daycare or school. Our job is | | | | to determine the cause and if it is asthma develop an |
| parents is to determine if our sick child has one of | | | | effective treatment plan. |
| those common flu-like illnesses or if the symptoms | | | | Chest Congestion and Tightness. |
| point to something much more serious. | | | | Chest congestion is symptomatic of influenza, but can |
| The problem with asthma is that the symptoms are | | | | also indicate a more serious respiratory disease like |
| often very similar to bronchitis and other very common | | | | asthma. |
| respiratory infections. | | | | Shortness of Breath |
| Childhood Asthma Symptoms: | | | | Many asthma sufferers experience shortness of |
| Coughing. | | | | breath so profound that they feel as if they're being |
| Coughing is caused by a buildup of mucus in the | | | | smothered. This is serious because asthma actually |
| bronchial tubes that needs to be cleared. Mucus is a | | | | constricts air passageways making it almost impossible |
| good indication of a respiratory infection or irritation. | | | | to get enough air into the lungs |
| Coughing however is symptomatic of many childhood | | | | These signs and symptoms may indicate that your |
| and adult illnesses. Although coughing is a symptom, | | | | child is suffering from asthma. While as a parent you |
| the type of cough plays a role in identifying and | | | | cannot be expected to understand how these various |
| understanding the underlying cause. Simply put, a | | | | symptoms interact or be able to accurately diagnose |
| rattling or loose type cough can suggest one type of | | | | and illness, your medical doctor can. |
| illness, while a tight or hacking cough can lead a | | | | |