About Asthma

Diagnosis

Asthma is a chronic lung condition which causes ​narrowing of the airways from muscle spasms in the lungs, inflammation, and mucus production. Asthma can cause wheezing and/or coughing. In young children, your doctor may diagnose asthma by asking you to try asthma medication to see if symptoms improve. If you recurrently have cough or wheezing which requires asthma medications, you will be diagnosed with asthma. Some patients will be able to perform Spirometry which is a lung test that can indicate whether your lungs are acting like asthma. 

Learn more from the UCSF Asthma Education Video

Treatment

The primary goal with asthma care is prevention. There are two classes of asthma medications: 
1. Acute relief: medications such as Albuterol are used at the time of symptoms to relax tight airways and relieve wheezing and cough. 
2. Controller: medications such as Qvar, Asmanex, and others are used daily to decrease inflammation and mucus production. They help to decrease the severity of illnesses and decrease the need for Albuterol. 

Combination medications such as Symbicort (generic Breyna) or Advair (generic Wixela) combine both longer acting acute relief and controller medications. These medications are becoming the standard of care for patients whose asthma is not well controlled by controller medications alone. 

​For more on asthma medications, see the UCSF Asthma Education page. 

when to make an appointment

If your child already has a diagnosis of asthma, call our nurse to make an appointment (925-438-1100, option 6) if symptoms are not improving with use of asthma medications. If your child is in respiratory distress, call 911 or go to your local Emergency Room.

If your child does not have a diagnosis of asthma, consider an appointment for the following symptoms: 

• wheezing
• chronic cough
• difficulty breathing

You can discuss symptoms with your doctor during your child's well visit or call our nurses to make an appointment (925-438-1100, option 6).
see this video from UCSF to identify symptoms of asthma. ​

Medication Management

East Bay Pediatrics recommends an Asthma Review visit about 6 months after the annual well visit for patients with Asthma who are not cared for by a pulmonologist. 
​
At the Asthma Review:

1. Your doctor will review recent Asthma symptoms and medication use. 
2. Children 7 years and older will attempt spirometry, which is a breathing test designed to show lung function. It can help your doctor determine whether a patient's asthma is under control. 
3. Your doctor may review an Asthma Action Plan with you. This set of instructions should be kept with your medication as a reference. It helps you remember which medications to take and when. 
4. Your doctor will update your prescriptions during this visit. Please let us know which pharmacy you prefer. 
5. If the timing is right, the Asthma Review visit is a great time to get your Flu Vaccine- influenza can cause asthma exacerbations; flu shots are recommended annually. Consider getting your COVID vaccine on this day as well.