Childhood asthma can be hard to spot. Some simply suffer from congestion and tightness in their chests or rapid, raspy breathing. So if your child suffers from hay fever, eczema, or other allergic reactions, take any sign of asthma seriously. Also, since colds and other upper respiratory infections often lead to attacks, you should suspect asthma if your child is still coughing more than seven to 10 days after getting what appears to be a cold. Doctors use two kinds of medications.
Most doctors prescribe corticosteroids only for children who suffer two or more attacks a week.
The more familiar asthma medications are called bronchodilators. Taken through an inhaler , these drugs make breathing easier by relaxing the muscles that squeeze the airway during an asthma attack. If your child is still struggling to breathe after using the inhaler, call 911 or get her to an emergency room immediately. For children over 5, doctors usually prescribe a peak-flow meter, which you can use to measure the strength of your child's breathing. Taking a reading every morning over a period of months will give you an idea of how much air is getting to your child's lungs and how well the treatments are working.