Some children's asthma improves as they grow up, some may temporarily disappear for a few years and then return, but most children's asthma does not go away on its own.
For young children, it can be difficult to distinguish whether coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath is caused by asthma or other illnesses. Sometimes, doctors and parents may mistake recurrent bronchitis, pneumonia, or bronchiolitis for asthma. If this is the case, the child's condition usually improves as they grow older.
If a child's wheezing is persistent and accompanied by hay fever or allergy symptoms, and skin allergy tests are positive, the child is likely to continue wheezing as they grow up. The more severe the condition in childhood, the less likely it is to improve on its own.
Early diagnosis and treatment of children's asthma are very important. Some medications, such as inhaled corticosteroids, can help improve their daily symptoms and reduce the risk of asthma attacks.