symptoms of asthma in toddlers and small children

Symptoms of asthma in toddlers can be tricky. Whenever Ethan has bouts of restlessness in the middle of the night or wakes up a few times throughout the night cranky, fussing or crying out, it's usually my tip that he's going to need a treatment. Restlessness or waking up in the middle of the night frequently -- sometimes with a cough, sometimes just discomfort -- is one of those signs that your asthmatic toddler or young children could be having issues with chest tightness or shortness of breath.

Per the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of childhood asthma in young children include:

Common childhood asthma signs and symptoms include:

Frequent, intermittent coughing
A whistling or wheezing sound when exhaling
Shortness of breath
Chest congestion or tightness
Chest pain, particularly in younger children
Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing
Bouts of coughing or wheezing that get worse with a respiratory infection, such as a cold or the flu
Delayed recovery or bronchitis after a respiratory infection
Trouble breathing that may limit play or exercise
Fatigue, which can be caused by poor sleep

A breathing treatment before bed is always what it takes to help Ethan sleep comfortably through the night when his symptoms first start to show up, before they get worse and are triggered into an asthma attack!