My Life as an Asthma Mom

  Have you had an asthma attack and aren't sure what triggered it?   I had an asthma attack out shopping and I have no idea what triggered it. Sometimes, it's a mystery.  Lately, I've had a few asthma attacks in my home office.  I don't have an asthma attack every day at my desk, but often enough that I need to figure out what is making my lungs cranky.  I feel like a detective that is trying to find clues and solve a mystery.   Common asthma triggers There are a LOT of asthma triggers - and they can change over time. A few of the most common are: Pet dander  Pests (mice and cockroaches) Pollen (tree pollen, grass pollen, weeds)  Strong scents (scented candles, essential oils, cleaners, perfumes, etc)  Smoke from cigarettes, vaping or marijuana)  Dust  Acid reflux  Cold, flu, or other infections  There are  many, many asthma triggers. You can see more from AAFA -  Asthma and Allergy Foundation of Americ...

  I was diagnosed with asthma in my 30's, and I thought, "Well, that explains a few things...." My young son was hospitalized with "breathing problems" - and THEN he was diagnosed with asthma. I had suspected my son had asthma after reading an article in a parenting magazine, but the pediatrician said my son did not have asthma, it was "just a virus". It was not.  It was asthma.   When I was learning about asthma after my son's diagnosis, I thought that the signs and symptoms of asthma sounded very familiar. In fact, I had them my whole life, but thought it was normal! Hint: it's not. Common asthma symptoms are: chest tightness  shortness of breath coughing  difficulty breathing  wheezing**  **It's important to know that there are people with asthma who do NOT wheeze (like me).  I have cough variant asthma , and don't wheeze. I have to mention that to the doctor at Urgent Care when I'm sick. Don't listen for wheezing, because y...