by Lisa Robertson

Created on: January 17, 2007   Last Updated: April 18, 2007

Asthma is a difficult disease for people to live with. While the disease is sometimes not chronic; the child suffers socially as well as physically anyway. Accepting that your child has a ongoing illness is sometimes a hard pill to swallow for parents. It is equally troubling for the child.

A lot of times when a child appears normal it is harder to accept they have an illness. It is very important that your child receives continuous treatment and education when first diagnosed to learn more about their degree of illness as well as to educate them and you on how to keep them safe.

If asthma is left untreated the child can die from respiratory failure. As with any disease if left untreated the disease can also worsen. Getting good health care and treatment is important for your child as well as for you.

Make sure that the doctor explains the triggers of Asthma to you and depending on the child's age to them to them also.

The warning signs of and attack are important also. There are signs that occur when a child is having difficulty breathing.

- They complain of chest pain of course. They may say things like "it feels like squeezing, someones sitting on their chest."

- The dip in there neck may contract deeply
- they may be less active then usual or suddenly lay or sit down

- There stomach may sink in when they breathe deeper

- they may make a whistling sound when they breathe.

- they may cough and wake up at night. Disturbing them during sleep a few times a week maybe signs that their asthma is not under control if no other signs of a cold are there.

The biggest thing is to keep good communication with their pediatrician and let the school know of their condition. If you notice something strange make sure to alert the doctor even the small things matter!

Find out the triggers and keep logs of their progress, with the help of the doctors and a mothers instinct you two can get through anything...even ASTHMA!

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