Asthma and your child

My son was diagnosed with asthma when he was about 5 years old. Looking back, I believe he showed symptoms even when he was a baby. He was always congested and he did a lot of mouth breathing when he slept. Whenever he got sick he would get a chesty cough. He used to be a noisy sleeper. He snored often. He ended up having his tonsils and adenoids removed, which helped tremendously with his sleeping.

He has been receiving allergy shots for almost 4 years, which I believe has helped a lot with his asthma. His asthma is mostly triggered by exercise, illness, and seasonal allergens (springtime is the worst). When he does get sick, it doesn't turn into the horrible chesty cough that he used to get, and when he does have bouts of asthma, they seem to be more easily controlled.

My point in writing this entry is to encourage you as a parent to not give up in finding out what the best ways to treat your child's asthma are. Different medications work better for different children. I feel that keeping in close contact with your child's doctors and noticing the triggers of your child's asthma are helpful in keeping the symptoms at bay. With my son's last bout of asthma, I had to add a new medication into his daily regimen. It seems to have helped a lot.

People often speak of children growing out of asthma. From what I've read, one never actually grows out of asthma, but the symptoms may decrease. Swimming is supposed to be one of the best exercises for a person with asthma. Also, using musical instruments such as trumpets, flutes, etc. are good for building up and strengthening the lungs.

Unfortunately, more and more children are being diagnosed with asthma. Trying to keep it under control is, unfortunately, the best thing we can do for our children who are living with this condition.