Q. Our 5-year-old son has had a cough for a month or so. The doctor says it is asthma, although he doesn't wheeze, and doesn't struggle for his breath. Is this right? We think he may have a chest infection, rather than asthma, and should have antibiotics instead of an inhaler.
A. Many cases of asthma in children show up as a cough without obvious breathing difficulties. Your doctor will presumably have listened to the chest, and performed a 'lung function' test to confirm the diagnosis, so do accept it. A chronic chest infection causing a cough is quite different from asthma, and in any case an antibiotic may well not be needed. There is no stigma about asthma - around one child in six in some areas has it at some time. But admit your doubts to your doctor, to clear the air.
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