Key indicators
According to the AAP Pediatric Pulmonology, 2nd Edition, a diagnosis of asthma should be considered when children have 1 or more of the following symptoms:
- Recurrent or chronic wheezing, with or without shortness of breath
- Recurrent or chronic coughing
- Repeated diagnoses of bronchitis or bronchiolitis
- Repeated diagnoses of pneumonia not clinically consistent with pyogenic infection
Such indicators are not diagnostic by themselves, but the presence of multiple key indicators increases the probability of a diagnosis of asthma.
Source: Light MJ, Van Hook K, eds. Pediatric Pulmonology. 2nd ed. American Academy of Pediatrics; 2023, pg 2.