Nasal steroids may be prescribed to stop allergic inflammation in the nose. An allergist can also prescribe allergy shots that make the body unresponsive to some allergens. A child who has short spells of wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath happening twice a week or less has mild intermittent asthma. The child rarely has symptoms between these spells, with the exception of one or two times per month of mild symptoms at night. There are asthma management strategies to treat mild asthma.
Symptoms occur at least twice a month at night and can affect normal physical activity.
Moderate Persistent Asthma Children with moderate persistent asthma have daily symptoms and need daily medication. Nighttime attacks happen more than once a week. Wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath occur more than twice a week and may last for several days. The symptoms affect normal physical activity. Severe Persistent Asthma Children with severe persistent asthma have continuous symptoms.