Tests to find and track asthma in young children

It can be a challenge to find out whether a child under age 5 has asthma. The main symptoms can overlap with other conditions. With older children, a healthcare professional can use a breathing test that measures how well the lungs work. But this type of test is not useful with younger children. That's because they may have trouble following instructions and breathing as they're told.

For those reasons, your child's healthcare professional likely will use many pieces of information to figure out whether your child's symptoms are caused by asthma.

Medical history

Your child's healthcare professional likely will ask you many questions, such as the following:

• Is there a family history of asthma?
• How often does your child have symptoms?
• Does coughing wake your child at night?
• Do the symptoms happen along with a cold? Or do they happen without a cold?
• Have the symptoms kept your child from going to school or doing other activities?
• How often do bouts of breathing trouble happen? And how long do they last?
• Has your child needed emergency care for breathing trouble?
• Does your child have any known pollen, dust, pet or food allergies?
• Is your child exposed to cigarette smoke or other irritants in the air?

Lab tests

Other tests may include the following:

• Blood test. This can measure the levels of certain white blood cells that may be higher in response to infections.
• Chest X-ray. This may reveal changes in the lungs when asthma is moderate to severe. It also may be used to find out if other treatable conditions are the cause of your child's symptoms.
• Allergy test. A skin or a blood test may indicate if your child has an allergy.

Trial treatment

Asthma medicine likely will be prescribed if your child's healthcare professional thinks your child might have asthma. This is called a trial treatment. If the medicine improves breathing, that makes it more likely that your child has asthma. Children with somewhat mild and infrequent symptoms may take medicine with effects that last a short time. This is known as quick-relief or "rescue" medicine. It's also called a short-acting bronchodilator.

If your child's symptoms are more regular or serious, your child likely will need medicine that's taken regularly to control symptoms and prevent asthma attacks. Improvement during the next 4 to 6 weeks would support a diagnosis and lay the groundwork for an ongoing treatment plan.

It's important for you to keep track of your child's symptoms during a treatment trial. Follow your healthcare professional's instructions carefully too. If your child's symptoms don't get better during the trial, your child's healthcare professional likely will look for other treatable causes.