Child Asthma: Managing Your Child's Asthma
While there is not yet a
cure for asthma, you can take certain steps that can help you manage your
child's asthma.
Recognize Asthma Triggers
Work with your child's physician to determine what is triggering their asthma
attacks. Learn more about
common asthma triggers.
Medications
Your child should take asthma medication as instructed by their physician. If
your child's symptoms worsen, do not increase or decrease their medication
without discussing these symptoms with their doctor. You may have to contact a physician,
allergist or immunologist to form a new treatment plan.
Monitor Your Child's Asthma
The key to
managing asthma is to take medications at the first sign of symptoms. Early
symptoms could include coughing, tiredness and chest tightening.
Additionally, many physicians choose to use a peak flow meter in monitoring
asthma patients. A peak flow meter is a small, hand-held device used to measure
how quickly air flows from the lungs. It can detect the narrowing of your
child's airways, sometimes even before they begin to feel symptoms. This could
signal the need for your child to take asthma medication and prevent an
episode. Peak flow meters will determine if your child falls within the green
zone (doing well), yellow zone (getting worse) or red zone (medical alert). For
more information and instructions on how to use a peak flow meter, please
consult your physician.
Create an Asthma Action Plan with Your Physician
Your
asthma action plan should include emergency contact information, details on
your child's condition, and instructions on what to do if your child falls
within the green zone (doing well), yellow zone (getting worse) or red zone
(medical alert) based on their peak flow meter readings. The American Lung
Association provides a sample
asthma action plan.
