Asthma – Examining Your Child
By editor | July 30, 2007
After talking to you and your child about symptoms, the doctor will give your child a physical exam. The doctor will look at the child’s nose, throat, and ears to check for secretions (runny nose), swollen mucous membranes, and infections. Rhinitis (runny nose), sinusitis (sinus infection), and ear infections can cause coughing similar to asthma and they can also be asthma triggers. Nasal polyps (growths in the nose that block the sinuses) can sometimes be seen in children with allergies and asthma. The doctor will also look at the child’s skin for signs of dermatitis or eczema, rashes often caused by allergies. Children with skin allergies are more prone to asthma.
If your child is feeling well-and even ifhe isn’t-it’s quite possible that the doctor won’t hear any wheezing when listening to his chest with a stethoscope. This can be a little frustrating to a parent who has been hearing a child wheeze every morning for days. You might be afraid that the doctor won’t believe you when you say your child wheezes or might think you’re being ove rprotective. Don’t worry. Experienced doctors know that asthma symptoms vary through the day. The child who wheezes at night or first thing in the morning may sound fine that after noon in the office, but he will still wheeze again that night.
Wheezing is an important asthma symptom, but it’s not the only one. In fact, many children with asthma never wheeze coughing and shortness of breath are their main symptoms. If a child is actively wheezing, the doctor will look for other signs of labored breathing, such as retractions (a drawing in of the skin between the ribs that indicates more vigorous “sucking in” of air), flaring of the nostrils, and! or bluish tint to the skin or nail beds, which indicates the child is not getting enough oxygen. You can check for these asthma signs at home as well. mptom, but it’s not the only one. In fact, many children with asthma never wheeze coughing and shortness of breath are their main symptoms. If a child is actively wheezing, the doctor will look for other signs of labored breathing, such as retractions (a drawing in of the skin between the ribs that indicates more vigorous “sucking in” of air), flaring of the nostrils, and / or bluish tint to the skin or nail beds, which indicates the child is not getting enough oxygen. You can check for these asthma signs at home as well.
Tagged under:Asthma asthma symptoms asthma triggers eczema sinus infection sinuses sinusitis skin allergies
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