Altoona, Wis. – Knowing if you or your child has asthma can be difficult because there may be more causes than just the known genetic, environmental and occupational factors.

Asthma is a disease that affects the lungs. It causes repeated episodes of coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing and/or chest tightness. Approximately 50 percent of people with asthma have allergic triggers, which may include mold, dust mites, pollen, and pet dander. The other 50 percent of asthma attacks are caused by a range of factors such as exercise, aspirin, time of day and more.

Asthma often starts during childhood when the immune system is still developing. Having a parent with asthma, taking in cigarette smoke as a young child and exposure to viral infections can increase the risk of developing asthma.

Prevea Health Allergist, Dr. Dylan Timberlake says diagnosing asthma, especially in children under age five, may include a medical history review and a conversation about symptoms if present.

“Once asthma has been diagnosed, controlling the symptoms and triggers is manageable,” says Dr. Timberlake. “Everyone’s treatment plan will look different, but typically asthma can be kept at bay with monitoring and medication.”

For those with severe asthma, an attack may occur without warning. An attack happens when the airways swell and narrow, making it harder to breathe and swallow. Dr. Timberlake says typically people with severe asthma have at-home medications to use during an attack, but if those medications are not providing relief or you need medication more often than every four hours, you should go to the emergency department or urgent care.

For young children with asthma, call 911 if they:

• Have a fast heartbeat
• Seem confused or drowsy
• Have a blue tint to the skin or lips

Dr. Timberlake sees patients at the Prevea Altoona Medical Office Building, 3119 Woodman Dr. and the Prevea Ladysmith Health Center, 1101 Lake Ave. West. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Timberlake, call (715) 717-6275 or schedule online.

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About Prevea Health

Founded in Green Bay, Wis. in 1996, Prevea Health is a health care organization that provides high-quality, primary and specialty health care in 80+ locations across Northern, Eastern and Western Wisconsin in clinic and hospital settings. It is partnered with six Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) hospitals across Wisconsin to provide patients a system of highly-coordinated care, close to home: HSHS St. Vincent Hospital and HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center in Green Bay; HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan; HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital in Oconto Falls; HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire; and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls. For more information, visit www.prevea.com.