IMMUNE HEALTH
Looking beyond the symptoms to the immune, inflammatory and airway factors behind recurring wheezing and coughs.
Book a consultationWatching your child struggle to breathe can be frightening for any parent.
Many families seek naturopathic support when asthma symptoms continue to affect exercise, sleep, school attendance and overall quality of life.
While asthma affects the airways and lungs, some children may also experience allergies, eczema, recurrent infections or other health concerns alongside their respiratory symptoms.
Wheezing
Shortness of breath
Persistent coughing
Night-time coughing
Chest tightness
Exercise-induced symptoms
Difficulty recovering after illness
Recurrent respiratory infections
Mouth breathing
Allergies, hayfever or eczema
At The Children's Naturopath, we regularly see children whose asthma symptoms become more noticeable during respiratory infections, even when their asthma has been described as mild.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, asthma was the leading cause of disease burden in Australian children aged 1–9 years in 2024.
Our approach draws on over 28 years of clinical experience supporting children's health. We look beyond the asthma diagnosis to understand each child's respiratory symptoms, immune health, nutrition and individual triggers.
A familiar situation involves a six-year-old child who experiences recurring chest discomfort, particularly when becoming unwell with a cold or respiratory infection.
Specialist testing may identify only mild airway obstruction, yet parents describe symptoms that are uncomfortable and disruptive.
One pattern we pay particular attention to is how a child's breathing and chest discomfort change during illness, and how well they recover afterwards.
Viral respiratory infections are among the most common triggers of childhood asthma flare-ups. The Australian Asthma Handbook estimates that viruses are present in approximately 80% of asthma exacerbations in children.
This makes the relationship between respiratory infections and asthma symptoms an important part of our assessment.
In clinic, we investigate whether other factors may be relevant to a child's respiratory health. For example, some children also experience eczema, hay fever, persistent nasal congestion or other allergic symptoms.
We are interested in whether these conditions occur together and whether there are identifiable environmental or dietary patterns.
Although food is not a common direct trigger of asthma, specific food allergies may be relevant for individual children. We also explore digestive health, dietary variety and nutritional intake to identify areas where additional support may be beneficial.
One practical tool we encourage parents to use is a symptom diary. We may ask families to record:
Whether chest discomfort occurs mainly during respiratory infections.
How frequently coughing, wheezing or breathing difficulties occur.
Whether symptoms worsen at night or during physical activity.
The presence of eczema, hay fever or nasal congestion.
Possible environmental or individual dietary triggers.
How quickly the child recovers between illnesses.
These observations help us understand whether symptoms follow a recurring pattern rather than occurring in isolation.
Our focus is on identifying the individual nutritional, dietary and lifestyle factors that may be relevant to a child's respiratory health, and developing personalised naturopathic strategies alongside their existing asthma care.
Naturopathic support sits alongside your child's medical asthma management, never in place of it. Any change to prescribed asthma treatment is a conversation for your child's doctor.
The Children's Naturopath provides support for babies, toddlers and children experiencing asthma, wheezing, persistent coughing and recurrent respiratory symptoms.
Many families seek naturopathic support when their child experiences asthma flare-ups alongside allergies, eczema, recurrent infections or ongoing immune challenges.
Asthma is a condition that affects the airways and can make breathing difficult when symptoms flare.
Children may experience wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath or chest tightness, particularly during exercise, illness or exposure to environmental triggers.
Asthma commonly occurs alongside allergies, hayfever, eczema and other allergic conditions in babies, toddlers and children.
Understanding these connections can help provide a broader picture of a child's overall health and wellbeing.
Some children with asthma experience frequent colds, prolonged coughs or difficulty recovering following respiratory infections.
Recurring respiratory symptoms can impact sleep, school attendance, energy levels and participation in everyday activities.
The immune system plays an important role in respiratory health.
For some children, immune activation, histamine responses and environmental triggers may contribute to asthma symptoms and respiratory irritation.
Many families come to us after repeated asthma flare-ups, ongoing respiratory symptoms or concerns about their child's breathing and overall wellbeing.
While asthma requires appropriate medical management, many parents are looking for practical guidance and a better understanding of the factors affecting their child's health.
During the initial consultation, we take the time to understand your child's health history, diet, digestion, sleep, immune function, allergy history and respiratory symptoms.
A clearer understanding of their child's health concerns
Insight into possible immune, environmental or lifestyle contributors
Practical recommendations they can begin implementing straight away
A personalised plan for the next steps
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare — Chronic respiratory conditions: Asthma
Asthma as the leading cause of disease burden in Australian children aged 1–9 years, 2024. Also carries the 0–14 prevalence figures from the ABS National Health Survey 2022.
Global Initiative for Asthma — Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention, 2026
Airway inflammation, variable airflow obstruction, symptom patterns, and the importance of identifying individual triggers and risk factors.
National Asthma Council Australia — Australian Asthma Handbook: Asthma Triggers
Viral respiratory infections, environmental allergens and individual triggers — including the estimate that viruses are present in approximately 80% of childhood asthma exacerbations.
Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne — Clinical Practice Guidelines: Acute asthma
Assessment of childhood asthma, and viral respiratory infection as a common precipitant of exacerbations.
Abdominal pain, tummy aches & digestive discomfort
Bloating, bloated tummies & excessive wind
Constipation, hard stools & withholding
Diarrhoea, loose stools & recurring digestive upset
Food intolerances, sensitivities & reactions
Fussy eating, picky eating & selective eating
Hayfever, allergies & chronic runny noses
IBS, bloating & recurring digestive symptoms
Poor growth, weight gain & appetite
Verified Google reviews for The Children’s Naturopath.
The Children's Naturopath provides consultations for babies, children and teenagers experiencing asthma, wheezing, persistent coughs and recurrent respiratory symptoms. Consultations are available Australia-wide by phone or telehealth, and in person at our St Kilda clinic in Melbourne.
Asthma should always be medically assessed and managed in partnership with your child's healthcare team.
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