15/05/2025
1 in 9 Australians live with asthma—could you or your child be one of them?
Classic asthma signs and symptoms include:
💨Wheezing – a whistling sound when breathing, especially during exhalation
😣Shortness of breath – feeling out of breath or unable to get enough air
😷Coughing – often worse at night, early morning, or during/after exercise
🫁Chest tightness – a feeling of pressure, squeezing, or heaviness in the chest
❄️Increased symptoms with triggers, such as cold air, exercise, allergens, or respiratory infections
⚠️ Children may also present with fatigue and reduced activity, fast or noisy breathing, trouble feeding and poor sleep quality
👦“I’ve been told my child is too young to have asthma”
Children aged 1-5 typically will not receive a formal asthma diagnosis, but may be diagnosed with ‘Preschool Wheeze’ instead. There are a few reasons as to why:
🔸 Lung function tests (used to diagnose asthma) aren’t reliable for young kids
🔸 Many children "grow out of" their wheezing by school age
🔸 The wheeze is often viral-induced rather than a long-term condition
So, instead of labelling it as asthma too early, doctors use the term “preschool wheeze” while monitoring how symptoms change over time.
Poorly controlled asthma or preschool wheeze has adverse effects on your daily activities and long-term health.
A quick GP check-in can help:
✅ Review your symptoms
✅ Update your Asthma Action Plan
✅ Ensure you’re using the right inhaler the right way
Let’s keep your lungs happy and healthy!
📍 Book with Westbrook Cambooya Family Medical today.
