A child might have flares while learning to control asthma, but don't be surprised or discouraged. How long it takes to get asthma under control depends on the child's age, the severity of symptoms, how frequently flares occur, and how willing and able the family is to follow a doctor's prescribed treatment plan. Every child with asthma needs a doctor-prescribed individual asthma management plan to control symptoms and flares. This plan usually has five parts. Triggers Children with asthma have different sets of triggers - those things that can irritate airways and lead to an asthma flare.
Triggers can vary from season to season and as a child grows older.
But once patterns are discovered, some of the triggers can be avoided through environmental control measures . Many kids with asthma have increasing inflammation in their airways from everyday trigger exposure - but they just can't feel it. Their breathing may sound normal and wheeze-free when their airways are actually narrowing and becoming inflamed, making them prone to a flare. Breathing tests measure the volume and speed of air as it is expelled from the lungs. Asthma specialists make several measurements with a spirometer, a computerized machine that takes detailed measurements of breathing ability.