Asthma

Frequently Asked Questions

Your child should see an asthma specialist if he/she:

• Has poorly controlled asthma
• Has needed treatment with oral steroids (prednisone) more than once in the past year
• Has daytime or nighttime symptoms every week
• Has trouble breathing during activity/playing
• Is missing days of school because of asthma
• Had to visit the emergency room or hospital more than once in the past year
• Needed to be in the intensive care unit for breathing issues
• Is not responding to or is having side effects from medications

Well controlled asthma means all of the following:

• Minimal or no asthma symptoms (cough, wheezing or shortness of breath) on a day to day basis
• Minimal or no acute asthma episodes or attacks (including ER visits or hospitalizations)
• Not requiring oral steroids (prednisone) more than once per year
• No limitations on activities or school attendance
• No more than twice a week use of quick acting rescue medicines such as albuterol
• Normal lung function when well

An easy way to see if your child’s asthma is under control is to take the Asthma Control Test.

Asthma cannot be cured, but with treatment, it can be controlled.

The doctors and nurses in the Asthma Center have specialized expertise in pediatric asthma and other lung diseases that are sometimes mistaken for asthma. An asthma specialist can help when children have difficult to control asthma, identify and treat other medical conditions that make asthma worse, and can use tools and tests that are not available to the general pediatrician. We are knowledgeable about the latest developments in asthma research and the care of pediatric asthma. Our multi-disciplinary team provides a comprehensive evaluation of your child’s breathing, including state-of-the-art diagnostic testing, in order to provide the best individualized treatment plan to manage your child’s asthma. 

The treatment plan that is developed will be shared with your pediatrician or family doctor; we recognize that s/he is an important part of your child’s asthma care.

Yes. Online second opinions are available to families and patients outside the Greater Cincinnati area (southwest Ohio, northern Kentucky and southeast Indiana). A specialist from the Asthma Center team will review your case and answer specific questions about a diagnosis or treatment options. It’s easy, convenient, and secure. Our case manager will collect your medical records and guide you through the process.

Online second opinions are typically not covered by insurance and cost $850. There may be additional fees if a radiology or pathology specialist needs to review your records. The program is not available in all areas or for every patient, we will work with you to make sure it’s appropriate for you.