Clues Your Toddler May Have Asthma

This information has been reviewed and approved by Christine Cho, MD, and Ronina Covar, MD (March 2018).

Clues Your Toddler May Have Asthma

Asthma may be hard to detect in young children because they can’t explain how they are feeling, and breathing tests are not as easy to do.

Watch Your Child for These Clues:

• Wheezing (a whistling sound heard in the chest while exhaling)
• Coughing for weeks with a cold
• Shortness of breath or coughing when running around or in cold weather
• Stopping or slowing down physically more than other children

Early detection and treatment can prevent scary breathing episodes, problems with exercise and emergency department visits.

Talk with your doctor if:

• You have a family history of asthma
• Your child has eczema, hay fever or food allergies
• You see any signs of asthma in your toddler

Asthma Facts

• 1 in 10 children in the U.S. have asthma
• 10.5 million missed school days each year due to asthma
• 4% of children ages  5-17 have limited activity due to asthma
• 7% of preschool children with asthma are hospitalized