Children cannot be definitively diagnosed with asthma until they’re 4 or 5 years old.

Kids under 4 are very apt to develop respiratory viral infections that induce wheezing (the cardinal feature of asthma), since they have not yet built up antibodies to common viruses.

But this does not mean they have asthma.

As their immune system becomes stronger, they grow out of these frequent infections that come with asthma-like symptoms.

Of course, if children are having trouble breathing, take them to a doctor right way, no matter their age and asthma diagnosis.

If you suspect that your child, who is over 4, is asthmatic (for instance, if there have recently been a number of respiratory viral infections), talk with the pediatrician. Although there’s no definitive test, the doctor may be able to tell by a clinical exam and medical history.  

Parents of asthmatic children must take special precautions during cold and flu season, like getting vaccinated.

Asthma and influenza both cause inflammation in the lungs, so asthmatic children who catch the flu may have difficulty breathing and be prone to such complications as bacterial pneumonia.

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