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If a child 4 years of age or younger has respiratory symptoms consistent with asthma, are you diagnosing asthma or using different terminology such as bronchiolitis or reactive airway disease?

The pediatrician in my area will typically diagnose a child below age four who has coughing and wheezing with bronchiolitis, or reactive airway disease. In a child with seasonal rhinorrhea and eczema, is there a reason we cannot diagnose asthma? We have guidelines for the classification and management of children ages 0-4.
1 Answer
Mednet Member
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Allergy & Immunology · Baylor College of Medicine
Answered on

There is no younger age limit at which asthma cannot be diagnosed. As you mentioned, not only do we have guidelines for the classification and management of asthma in children under 4 years of age, the GINA 2025 Report outlines criteria for asthma diagnosis in this age group.

Although diagnosing ast...

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