It can be difficult to know whether your child is having a mild, moderate, or severe asthma attack. The following chart may help you. Talk with a health professional if you are unable to tell how severe your child's symptoms are.
| Factor | Mild attack | Moderate attack | Severe attack |
|---|---|---|---|
80% to 100% of personal best |
50% to 79% of personal best |
Less than 50% of personal best |
|
Breathing |
Normal or slightly faster |
Faster than normal |
Rapid, and the child may appear preoccupied with breathing; may want to sit upright to help breathing |
Breath |
Mild or no shortness of breath; can speak in full sentences |
Short of breath; can speak in short phrases or parts of sentences |
Very short of breath; speaks in single words or short phrases |
Chest |
Does not or slightly uses chest muscles to breathe |
Uses chest and neck muscles to breathe. The skin between, under, and above the ribs collapses inward with each breath. |
Uses chest and neck muscles to breathe and may open nostrils wide; may clutch at the chest |
Skin |
Normal skin color |
Pale skin color |
Very pale or bluish skin color; may sweat more than normal |
Wheezing |
Wheezes while breathing out |
Wheezes while breathing in and out |
Does not wheeze while breathing. This indicates little or no air in the airways. |
Alertness |
Normally alert |
Normally alert |
Not as alert as usual and may appear anxious |
Credits
| Author | Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Denele Ivins |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Harold S. Nelson, MD - Allergy and Immunology |
| Last Updated | March 22, 2007 |
