Jessie James Decker Opens Up About A Scary Diagnosis And A Proud Mom Moment

Jessie James Decker is opening up about a frightening chapter that reshaped her family’s daily life and the unexpected pride that followed. 

The singer and mom of four says the warning signs appeared early, long before her son Forrest received a life-changing diagnosis. 

What began as breathless playdates and repeated ER visits eventually led to answers, complex adjustments, and a deeper mission to help other families navigating the same road.

Jessie James Decker said the first clues appeared before Forrest even turned 2. 

“When he was running and playing with the other kids, he’d always have to stop and catch his breath,” she told PEOPLE. “It was like his lungs couldn’t keep up with him.” 

The toddler also caught colds more frequently than his siblings, and when he did, the symptoms were intense. 

Decker recalls bouts of wheezing and coughing so severe that they sometimes caused him to throw up. “It would break your heart to watch it,” she explained.

Those moments pushed the singer into high alert mode, especially as the episodes became more frequent. 

By January 2021, after three ER visits in just six weeks, doctors finally gave the family an answer: Forrest had asthma. 

Decker remembered the fear vividly. “I remember being so scared because you read stories of kids having asthma attacks and the outcomes not being great,” she noted. “I was freaking out because I didn’t really know much about it.”

Jessie James Decker revealed the diagnosis was overwhelming, but it also brought clarity. 

Asthma, a chronic condition that causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways, explained why Forrest struggled during physical activity and respiratory illnesses. 

Now 7, he is thriving thanks to medication and close monitoring, but Decker admitted those early days were terrifying.

“Forrest knows that everybody has something, and asthma is just his thing,” she said. “Life is what you make of it, and we want to make the best of this and try to raise awareness so people don’t feel so alone.” 

When Forrest was born in March 2018, there were no immediate concerns. “He was born full-term and 9 pounds,” Decker explained. “And he was fine. He didn’t have to go to the NICU or anything like that.”

It wasn’t until he became more active that the red flags became impossible to ignore. Soccer practices made the issue clearer. 

“He would do this little thing with his lip, like he couldn’t catch his breath,” the doting mom shared. “And that’s when I was like, ‘I need to figure this out for him.’ ”

Decker credited her younger sister, Sydney Rae Bass, with helping her understand what was happening. 

Sydney’s daughter, Brooklyn, born prematurely in 2017, also has asthma. “She knew asthma and showed me what I needed to look for,” Decker recalled. 

Sydney pointed out subtle physical signs, including how Forrest’s chest appeared concave as he struggled to breathe. 

She also introduced the “Lose Control” singer to the Owlet baby monitor sock to track oxygen levels.

The support proved invaluable during emergencies. Decker also recalled a recent asthma attack at her sister’s house when she had forgotten Forrest’s inhaler. 

“I was freaking out,” she says, but Sydney calmly produced a backup inhaler. “He took his puffs, and it was fine.” 

Even so, she admitted the fear never entirely disappeared. “You feel so helpless, and it’s terrifying,” she said. “I’m just so grateful that I have my sister.”

With doctors’ guidance, Forrest now uses a daily corticosteroid inhaler and keeps an albuterol inhaler at home and school. 

“A few times a week, usually after PE class, if he runs, he’ll go to the school nurse,” Decker explained.

Soccer was replaced with baseball, a sport that’s easier on his lungs.

Jessie James Decker said one thing asthma hasn’t taken away from Forrest is his love of music. He sings, writes songs, plays piano and guitar, and even dances around the living room. 

“He’s just so musical,” the 37-year-old stated. Decker sometimes has to step in. “Okay, let’s give our lungs a break and sit down on the couch,” she tells him, though his excitement rarely fades.

Doctors say Forrest’s asthma could improve as he grows, but for now, he’s learned to live with it. “It doesn’t stop him; he just deals with it,” Jessie said. 

She believes it helps that his sister has severe allergies and carries an EpiPen. “It’s like that’s her thing, and asthma is his thing, and we don’t make it a drama.”

Jessie is also mindful of her youngest child, Denver, born in February 2024. Asthma can run in families, and with eczema already present, Jessie knows it’s a possibility. 

“We’ll see,” she explained honestly. “To be honest, I worry about it for him.”

Decker noted that whatever challenges come next, her family will face them together. “The kids are very supportive of each other,” she shared. 

From nurturing big sister Vivianne to fist bumps exchanged in school hallways, the siblings look out for one another.

Despite full schedules, Decker is planning new music and expanding her Kittenish brand. Her husband is also staying busy with competitive pickleball, but family remains the priority. 

“We are super busy with the kids,” Jessie said, detailing gymnastics, football, and her upcoming tour. 

Still, she’s setting boundaries. “I’ll only do like two-day weekends where I’ll go and come back home,” she explained. “I don’t want to be away from the kids that long. We just love being home.”