Asthma in children

You and your child can breathe easier knowing that nationally recognized lung doctors are here in West Michigan. We have a passion to help kids with asthma live fully and without fear. We can reduce or even prevent emergency department visits and hospitalizations.

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that makes it difficult to breathe and it is the most common chronic illness in young people today. Symptoms include chest tightness, wheezing, persistent cough and shortness of breath. Swollen airways become especially sensitive when exposed to triggers like pollen, air pollution, cigarette smoke, exercise, cat dander or even a rainy day. Asthma causes more emergency room visits for children than any other chronic illness and is the number one reason for kids to miss school. Our expert team will help you recognize the triggers for your child and work with you to help prevent and treat asthma attacks and put the family back in charge of the child’s asthma.

We also work closely with our allergy and immunology doctors at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, along with doctors in our community, to create the best plan for your child.

Is your child afraid to be active because of asthma? That's not what you, or our doctors, want. Our goal is to help your child breathe easier and enjoy playtime, school and other activities. While asthma can’t be cured, our specialists can work with you to prevent flare-ups and control this condition. Treating asthma requires patience, working together and regular checkups between your primary doctor and our office.

The reality is that severe asthma attacks can still happen, and they, rarely, may even require hospitalization. If that happens, we work closely with the inpatient team of pediatric hospitalists and intensive care doctors to help the child recover as quickly as possible and search for ways to prevent another hospitalization.