Personal Best Health Wellness - Children with Asthma

If your child has asthma, flare-ups can be scary. The best way to protect your child and gain asthma control is to work with your child's health care provider. Meet with the provider and together develop a management plan:

1. Know the symptoms that require immediate care.
2. Learn the proper procedure for using medication to prevent or control flare-ups.
3. Know exactly what to do for a severe asthma attack or for times when medication doesn't work.
4. Learn how to prevent attacks, especially when your child is physically active or is sick with colds or flu.
5. Minimize your child's exposure to primary allergens which often trigger asthma attacks, such as cigarette smoke, animal dander, dust, sprays, molds and perfume.

Keep a written record of your child's flare-ups, possible triggers, and the provider's instructions regarding medication use and emergency care. Research reported in the journal Pediatrics shows that children with a written management plan, and those who are quickly medicated at the first signs of cold or flu, are half as likely to be hospitalized or visit an emergency room as those with no plan.