Cough Variant Asthma???

So...after weeks of Andrew having this cough that wouldn't go away, but seemed to get worse when he was running, I decided to take him in to see Dr. Mary. After listening to his chest and doing some breathing exercises with him, she diagnosed him with "cough variant asthma" I'm pretty sure I silently freaked out at the sound of the word asthma. I immediately imagined him always having to stand on the sidelines of his sporting events puffing away on an inhaler. Or even worse having to check "asthma" on the physical forms required for school and sports. I mean having a pretty significant peanut allergy is bad enough and already makes him different from the norm, I fear adding something to that. She prescribed an albuterol inhaler to use prior to exercise and Singulair to take on a regular basis. The as needed inhaler didn't freak me out near as much as the Singulair did. A regular every day pharmaceutical agent for my kid.....I don't like it. It doesn't help that Chris and I both work/have worked in the industry, we know how drugs are tested, what side effects are reported, etc. etc. We both avoid taking medications, we don't like using drugs unless it is necessary. So, of course, we question, is this necessary? Will he experience some rare behavioral side effects? I filled the Rx, I've read the patient leaflet, I've read too much information online about it, I talked more about it to Dr. Mary last night at the Junior League Meeting. Still, I sit, I worry. That is what we do as moms, right, worry about our babies?