Sniffle Solutions

As a pediatrician, it’s my job to adjust a patient’s asthma medication so that she can be as involved in sports as she wants to be. Some kids need just a couple of puffs before exercising, while others need to take medication every day in order to control their wheezing when they work out.

Exercising when it’s cold outside can be doubly hard, since cold air can make it harder to breathe. There’s always one Saturday in October when it gets briskly cold out, and our office fills up with wheezing kids who’ve been playing soccer all morning. But even that can be managed.

I stress to parents that exercise is absolutely essential for kids’ health and self-esteem. Being able to keep up with their friends on the playground or on a soccer field makes them feel good about themselves. My advice: Keep talking to your pediatrician until you find the right medicine and dosage that allows your child to run around -- without asthma to hold him back.