Asthma in children

• shortness of breath, often worse early in the morning, during exercise, in cold air or with a cold
• wheezing or whistling breathing
• coughing, often at night

The symptoms come and go, and can vary from month to month. In babies and toddlers, wheezing with a cold is common. This does not always mean that your child has asthma.

• tobacco smoke, including second-hand smoke
• cold air, air pollution and changes in temperature
• house dust mites, animals and pollen
• exercise
• colds and flu

Never smoke in the house or in the car. This is one of the most important things you can do for a child with asthma.

I ask about the symptoms, what triggers them and whether asthma or allergy runs in the family, and I listen to the lungs. From about 6 years of age, a lung function test can help. In younger children, it is mainly about how the symptoms develop over time and how your child responds to treatment. Sometimes an allergy test is useful.

With inhalers. There are two types:

• A reliever inhaler, used when there are symptoms. It opens the airways quickly and works within a few minutes.
• A preventer (maintenance) inhaler. It reduces the inflammation and leads to fewer symptoms and fewer attacks. Your child takes it every day, even when things are going well.

Young children use the inhaler with a spacer, so that the medicine really reaches the lungs. An inhaler only works well if it is used correctly. I show you and your child how to do it, and we check it regularly. After using a preventer inhaler, your child rinses their mouth with water.

If your child needs the reliever inhaler more than twice a week, the asthma is not well controlled. Make an appointment in that case.

The flu vaccination is recommended for children with asthma. Feel free to discuss it during the consultation.

1. Stay calm and let your child sit upright.
2. Give the reliever inhaler with the spacer, as agreed with the doctor.
3. If it does not get better quickly, call a doctor. In the evening and at the weekend, call the GP out-of-hours service (huisartsenwachtpost) on 089 20 10 90.

Call 112 if your child can no longer talk or drink because of breathlessness, if the skin between the ribs pulls in when breathing, if the lips turn blue, if your child becomes drowsy or if the inhaler does not help.

If your child often coughs or wheezes, wakes up at night from coughing, gets out of breath when doing sport, or if the inhalers are working less well. I have a special interest in lung diseases and allergy in children. You can book online or by phone.