Gauging the severity of your child's asthma attack
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Gauging the severity of your child's asthma attack
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 health professional 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 |
Credits
| Author | Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Denele Ivins |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Harold S. Nelson, MD - Allergy and Immunology |
| Last Updated | March 22, 2007 |
| Last updated: | March 22, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS |
| Reviewed By: | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Harold S. Nelson, MD - Allergy and Immunology |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Denele Ivins |
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