Pediatric Asthma Diagnosis

If you’re wondering whether your child has asthma, you’re not alone. The most common question our pediatric pulmonologists get asked is: “My child wheezes and coughs a lot. Is it asthma?”

That’s where our team of experts comes in. They have decades of experience diagnosing and treating asthma in children, so they can pinpoint whether a child has asthma or another lung disease and develop an effective treatment plan.

How we diagnose asthma in children

The diagnostic process varies for each patient, but it usually includes:

• Understanding the child’s medical history, including how the child handles infections and what triggers his or her symptoms
• Examining the child’s respiratory system and overall health to look for other issues or illnesses that may be impacting his or her breathing
• Testing the child’s breathing. Most children can do breathing tests by age 6, though some preschoolers are able to do this. We also conduct exercise and allergy testing when appropriate.

During the diagnostic process, we also identify any other conditions that may be impacting a child’s asthma—including allergies, acid reflux and sinus infections—and we work with a multidisciplinary team to treat them. 

Diagnosing asthma early on is critical and improves the odds of long-term, successful management.