Asthma in Children: Knowing How Bad an Attack Is
Topic Overview
It can be difficult to know whether your child is having a mild, moderate, or severe asthma attack. The following chart may help you. Talk with a doctor if you are unable to tell how severe your child's symptoms are.
Factor |
Mild attack |
Moderate attack |
Severe attack |
---|---|---|---|
80% to 100% of personal best |
50% to 79% of personal best |
Less than 50% of personal best |
|
Breathing |
Normal or slightly faster |
Faster than normal |
Rapid, and the child may appear preoccupied with breathing; may want to sit upright to help breathing |
Breath |
Mild or no shortness of breath; can speak in full sentences |
Short of breath; can speak in short phrases or parts of sentences |
Very short of breath; speaks in single words or short phrases |
Chest |
Does not or slightly uses chest muscles to breathe |
Uses chest and neck muscles to breathe. The skin between, under, and above the ribs collapses inward with each breath. |
Uses chest and neck muscles to breathe and may open nostrils wide; may clutch at the chest |
Skin |
Normal skin color |
Pale skin color |
Very pale or bluish skin color; may sweat more than normal |
Wheezing |
Wheezes while breathing out |
Wheezes while breathing in and out |
Does not wheeze while breathing. This indicates little or no air in the airways. |
Alertness |
Normally alert |
Normally alert |
Not as alert as usual and may appear anxious |
Related Information
Credits
ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer John Pope, MD, MPH - Pediatrics
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Lora J. Stewart, MD - Allergy and Immunology, Pediatrics
Current as ofDecember 6, 2017
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Current as of: December 6, 2017