Question: Is diagnosing asthma in children very difficult? Which are the conditions that are similar to asthma? Mention the signs and symptoms of childhood asthma.
It is quite a task and rather difficult to diagnose asthma in children. before the doctor proceeds with the diagnosis, other conditions that have symptoms similar to asthma should be ruled out.
The conditions similar to asthma include:
- Croup ‘“ an infectious disease common in children aged from three months to three years
- Bronchitis ‘“ inflammation of the bronchi
- Pneumonia – inflammation of the lungs
- Cystic fibrosis – hereditary lungs and pancreatic disease
- Epiglottis – inflammation of the cap that prevents food from entering the trachea
See also severe asthma attack in children
Infants with asthma symptoms are generally fussy, may cough continuously, refuse to suck and wheeze. Shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing; rapid breathing, chest tightness and exercise intolerance are the signs and symptoms of childhood asthma. They are quite similar to those in adults. besides that an asthmatic child may have runny, stuff nose; itchy watery eyes; flared nostrils; sore throat; labored breathing; dark circles under the eyes and hunched posture. Recurrent cold, flu, bronchitis or pneumonia may indicate asthma.
Bronchitis maybe confused with asthma and vice versa. Cough variant asthma is a type in which the symptom is coughing rather than wheezing and can be mistaken for bronchitis. Bronchiolitis an inflammation of the lining of the bronchioles common in infants, often indicates the onset of asthma and is treated with asthma medications. Asthma like symptoms can also be created when an object is swallowed or inhaled in the throat or air passages.