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Asthma is a chronic lung disease that makes it harder to move air into and out of the child’s lungs. Most children who have asthma develop their first symptoms before 5 years of age. ¹

The most common risk factors for developing asthma are:

1. Family history: The child who has a parent with asthma is three to six times more likely to develop asthma.
2. Severe respiratory infection.
3. Allergic condition.
4. Smoking: Those whose mothers smoked during pregnancy or who were exposed to secondhand smoke are also more likely to have asthma.
5. Air Pollution ²

The most common symptoms are:

1. Wheezing
2. Frequent cough
3. Shortness of Breath
4. Chest tightness

Dr. Zeinab El Tahesh

Paediatrician

¹https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/living-with-asthma/managing-asthma/for-parents-of-children-with-asthma

Page last updated: April 2, 2020

²https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/asthma-symptoms-causes-risk-factors/asthma-risk-factors

Page last updated: May 28, 2020

³https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/asthma-symptoms-causes-risk-factors/symptoms

Page last updated: March 9, 2020