Children with asthma complain of :
- Expiratory wheezing
- Cough
- Difficulty breathing (breathlessness or shortness of breath or a ‘tight chest’)
Most, but not all, children with asthma have wheezing. Some children present with coughing only, especially at night. Both the wheezing and coughing are worse at night and often wake the child. Asthma is usually seen in children of one year or older.
Always think of asthma when a child presents with wheezing.