Asthma in Children?

Question

How old does a child have to be? To be diagonised with Asthma?
Can an infant be diagonised with asthma and 6 months old or younger. How can you tell when it is asthma. Has anyone ever had a infant with asthma? Asthma runs really strong on my husbands side. None of my children have it but my infant has been really sick lately. He has been having trouble breathing and is weezing alot so I am wondering if this could be asthma. I am taking him to the doctors this afternoon to see what is wrong. So I dont need you to tell me to take him to the doctors. I just want some opinions on the matter and if anyone knows of any babys that have asthma at 6 months old. Thanks

This is to CWebb I am not a smoker so what gives you the right to say what you said?

I just wanted everyone to know that the doctor told us that my son has RSV but thanks to everyone that answered

Answer 1

Not an expert but if your baby is wheezing and sounds as if the lungs are always congested and coughing is an issue than it very well could be. Could also be bronchitis or pneumonia. The doctor will have rule them all out. My 3 neices all have to do treatments with a nebulizer. I think the problem has to be persistent/chronic for the doctor to actually give a diagnosis of asthma but he/she can prescribe a nebulizer to help. Good Luck! :) Hope your baby is feeling better soon!

Answer 2

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Answer 3

My son was showing signs of asthma at that age, and was even on medication. But like another answerer, Nina said, he wasn't officially diagnosed til he was over a year old. Doctors are hesitant to put a life long diagnosis such as Asthma on a child's medical record until they absolutely have to! And unfortunately, I found out first hand why. When my son was about 2 we switched insurance providers. Shortly after, my son was hospitalized with Bronchitis and Asthma. The insurance fought hard to not pay the claim, by saying the asthma was a "pre-existing condition." They didn't want to cover any medical treatment that had anything remotely to do with his lungs.
If I were you...I'd just let the doctor treat your son for "asthma like symptoms" for as long as possible before he has to make an official diagnoses.

Good luck...I hope you are able to get a good asthma action plan...Asthma is a toughie!

Answer 4

If the wheezing or trouble breathing is a new-ish thing for him, he could have asthma (make sure the doctor knows your husband's family history!!) or he could have a virus called Bronchiolitis - where the bronchi of the lungs is just irritated. If he is a former premie, he could have RSV - which would be a cold in your older children, but settles deep into the lungs of littler kids. It could also be pneumonia - which is kind of common this time of year, especially if anyone in the house has had a chest cold.

Asthma is hereditary, and it could also be just environmental. In the area where I live (Hudson Valley, NY) because of the environment around here, there's a crazy high instance of people in general who have asthma.

At his age, it's possible he has it, but definitely rule out the acute infections first. If it's something that happens on a "regular" basis (meaning everytime you run the fireplace, or he gets a cold, or spends a lot of time outside in the winter, etc.) it's entirely possible he is asthmatic. Then it becomes a case of working on maintaining him so he doesn't have many flare ups.

Good luck! I hope he feels better!

Answer 5

My little brother was diagnosed with asthma at 4 months old, my father also has it and I had it as a child. My brother was in and out of hospitals until he was about 2 yrs old. As he got older it still bothered him quite a bit and still does (he is now 21) My son is now 5 months old and when he was about 3 months old he got a very bad cold and was wheezing alot. My dr put him on a breathing machine for about 3 weeks just in case and he told me that if each time he gets a cold if his chest gets that congested and he wheezes this much then he may have asthma. But for right now I just keeps close tabs on his breathing and he is doing fine

Answer 6

My brother is an asthmatic and after ten years his asthma has shown no sign of improving. He has been to several doctors but they didn't help much.

If you want a proven, all-natural way to cure your asthma, without having to pay for useless medications with harmful side-effects, then this is the most important page you'll ever read.

Answer 7

babies can be born with asthma both of my kids were i have a three year old who got it when she was around 6 months or so but my 2 month old have it now. my husband had asthma growing up. he also was born with it, if it is really bad the doctor will give you a machine to put him on to help him breath at night . but hopefully his do not have it, and he just have a cold. dealing with asthma is not that bad only the cold weather will make it act up.

Answer 8

My 6 month old is suspected of having asthma. They can't officially diagnose it until they are old enough to use a peak flow meter to test. But the doctor can go by the symptoms and by family history. I have asthma and my daughter was waking up at night with a hacking cough, gasping for breath. Ask your dr about Singulair granules. You mix them in a tablespoon of applesauce in the evening. They have no flavor. They have worked great for my daughter.

Answer 9

For once I'm being serious. My son had asthma when he was just a few months old. If your child has asthma, see if you can get a machine called a nebulizer. You can rent them from medical supply places. Just ask your doctor to prescribe medication made for a nebulizer. Just keep up with your childs medication and all will be OK

Answer 10

My daughter was 6 months when the doctor prescribed her a nebulizer. I only used it like that first week. And I'm pretty sure, her wheezing was from her having a cold. I don't think they can honestly diagnose asthma until the child is old enough to run around and be more active.