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Wheeze & Asthma
You’re not alone
Hearing your child wheeze or struggle for breath is frightening. Many parents also feel frustrated by mixed messages — “it’s viral wheeze”, “it’s asthma”, “they’ll grow out of it.” The reality is that children’s airways behave differently at different ages, and the key is matching treatment to the pattern your child has.
My child is "wheezy" and short of breath
What could it be & What should I do?
Wheeze patterns we commonly see
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Preschool viral-triggered wheeze: symptoms mainly with colds; often improves with age.
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Asthma: symptoms can be triggered by colds and exercise, allergens, cold air, or occur at night; tends to recur over time.
Why inhaler technique matters more than most people realise
Even the “right medicine” won’t work well if it doesn’t reach the lungs. Spacer choice and technique are often the difference between frequent symptoms and good control.
Modern asthma treatment
In the UK, many services now use approaches where children may be prescribed:
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Two separate inhalers (a preventer every day + a reliever when needed), or
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A combined approach where one inhaler can be used in a structured way for both prevention and relief (sometimes called AIR or MART, depending on the plan and age).
The aim is always the same:
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Fewer symptoms (especially night-time and exercise-limiting symptoms)
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Fewer attacks
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Confidence for families, school, and sports
Asthma action plans: the single most helpful tool for families
Every child with asthma should have a written asthma action plan — it tells you what to do day-to-day and what to do if symptoms worsen.
When to seek urgent help
If your child is very breathless, has severe wheeze, is struggling to talk/feed, looks blue, or is unusually drowsy — treat this as urgent and call 999.
(If your child has a MART plan, follow the emergency steps in that plan and seek urgent help if not improving.)
How SPRClinic helps
We focus on giving you clarity and control:
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Confirm the most likely pattern (viral wheeze vs asthma vs overlap)
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Optimise inhaler/spacer technique
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Create or update a written action plan
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Decide on a treatment strategy aligned with current UK practice and your child’s needs
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Make school and sports easier with a practical plan