It can be difficult to detect asthma in an infant. For starters, the little one can’t verbally communicate what’s bothering her. So you’re left with the crying, most of the time, but those tears could literally mean anything.
If you have a family history of asthma or allergies, or even smoked while pregnant with your baby, it’s possible that she’s developed asthma in her infancy. And that’s not unusual – it’s a common illness in preemie children, according to this study.
The fast breathing, flaring nostrils, panting and wheezing when playing, coughing, exhaustion and pale face or lips are all signs of the respiratory illness in your infant, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. But don’t fret. There are ways to manage your baby’s asthma until she’s old enough to start managing it on her own.
Learn your child’s triggers.
Like allergies, triggers usually bring on asthma attacks. These allergens include anything from dust mites, pets, pests and mold to pollen and cigarette smoke. If you understand what sends your baby into fits of coughing and wheezing, then you can protect your little one from these things by keeping a clean home or avoiding the outdoors on high pollen-count days.
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Learn your child’s symptoms pattern.
What typically happens moments before your child experiences an asthma attack? Does the coughing get worst? Does her face turn blue or pale? Do you notice shorter breaths or her flaring nostrils? These are all signs that, once learned, can help you prevent a full-blown asthma attack by administering medicine.
Teach your infant to tell you when they’re feeling ill.
Sure, your infant may not be able to talk. But, you can teach your baby to use sign language to indicate that they're not feeling well. Babies as young as six months old can learn sign language and it’s effective in helping you figure out her needs until she gains more verbal skills. To communicate illness, teach your baby to make a sad face and point to his forehead with his dominant hand and to his tummy with his non-dominant hand. This, coupled with coughing or wheezing, will tell you whether your child is experiencing an asthma crisis.
Make a medication schedule.
It’s important that you stick to the asthma action plan created by your child’s physician. If this includes taking prescribed medicine to manage the little one’s asthma, buy a whiteboard to place on the refrigerator and write down when you need to administer your child’s medicine and the time you gave it to her. This is a good practice for your child to watch, too, because as she grows, she’ll learn to stick to a schedule when it comes to her medication.
