Can babies have asthma?

I recently noticed that my 6-month old baby was coughing and wheezing. Kindly let me know if this Asthma and what to do about it.

Chinwe(by SMS)

 

While asthma-like symptoms can be difficult to recognize in babies, asthma actually exists in babies. These other symptoms can resemble signs of other issues, including other respiratory illnesses. A baby with asthma might wheeze, cough, and breathe fast. Asthma is a chronic condition that causes airway inflammation and sensitivity to inhaled irritants. About half of all children with asthma show some signs of the condition before they reach the age of 5 years. But not all babies with asthma-like symptoms go on to have asthma later in life. Doctors can treat asthma in babies with medications that help open the airways. Anyone who recognizes signs of breathing problems in a baby should contact a doctor. Parents and other caregivers can take various steps to reduce risk factors and limit the baby’s exposure to triggers, such as smoke, pet dander, pollen, and dust mites.mFactors that can increase the likelihood of an infant developing asthma include: a family history of allergies, asthma, or atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema, smoking during pregnancy, premature birth as well as more severe symptoms of respiratory infections, such as with the respiratory syncytial virus.

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