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Managing Your Child's Asthma
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Together, you and your healthcare provider can gain control over your child’s asthma!
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Communicating with Your Health Care Provider
Developing an Asthma Action Plan
Setting Goals and Taking Action
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Communicating with Your Health Care Provider
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Working closely with your child's healthcare provider is the best way to achieve control of your child's asthma. Together you will learn what affects your child's asthma and the best way to treat it. Schedule at least two "asthma only" visits with your healthcare provider every year. Come to those visits well prepared and ask questions if you don't understand something.
At these visits, your healthcare provider needs to know:- What asthma symptoms your child gets and how often.
- Whether asthma affects your child's sleep.
- Whether asthma affects your child's daily activities.
- What medications your child uses and how often you refill the controller and rescue medications.
- How often your child uses quick-relief "rescue" medications.
- What triggers your child's asthma, especially any new triggers.
- The Peak Flow reading if your child uses a Peak Flow meter.
- Any questions you may have.
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Developing an Asthma Action Plan
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Everyone should have an Asthma Action Plan. It will help keep your child's asthma under control by reminding you and your child what triggers to avoid and which medication to take and when to take it. The Asthma Action Plan will also tell you what to do when your child has a good or a bad asthma day. You and your healthcare provider should review and update the Asthma Action Plan at each visit.
Printable Action Plans
Print copies of our Asthma Action Plans, to discuss with your doctor:
Asthma Action Plan, ages 0 to 5
Asthma Action Plan, ages 6 and older
Help your healthcare provider complete the Asthma Action Plan by listing your child's asthma symptoms. If your child uses a Peak Flow meter, include your child's best Peak Flow reading. Your healthcare provider can then identify your child's asthma zones and list the medications your child will need to take. Be sure you know who to call and when to get help in an emergency.
The Asthma Action Plan has three zones, just like a traffic light:- GREEN means GO. Your child is breathing well and has no asthma symptoms. The Peak Flow reading is greater than 80% of your child’s personal best.
- YELLOW means CAUTION. Your child has some asthma symptoms. The Peak Flow is 50% to 80% of your child's personal best.
- RED means STOP/DANGER. Your child's asthma symptoms are bad. Your child has difficulty breathing. The Peak Flow reading is less than 50% of your child's personal best. You must get help now!
You can also use the Asthma Action Plan to teach family members, teachers, coaches, and others how to help your child during an asthma flare up.
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Setting Goals and Taking Action
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Remember, your child's asthma is always present. It does not "go away." To stay in control, make managing asthma part of your child's daily routine. That way you and your child won't forget, and your child's asthma won't get out of control.
Goals to strive for:- Be free from asthma symptoms, day and night.
- Have the best possible lung function.
- Be able to participate fully in activities your child chooses.
- Do not miss school because of asthma symptoms.
- Do not need emergency visits or hospitalizations for asthma.
- Have few side effects from asthma medication.
It is possible to achieve the above goals. To reach them, you need to take the following actions:- Understand asthma and what causes it.
- Learn your child's triggers and how to control them.
- Keep track of your child's asthma symptoms and how they affect your child's activity.
- Keep your child's Asthma Action Plan up to date and follow it.
- Take medications as directed.
- Learn how to use medication devices correctly.
- Understand how the medications work.
- Discuss your child's asthma with your family and others. By understanding, they can help manage your child's asthma.
- Keep your healthcare provider informed of how your child is doing.
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