Achieving and maintaining good asthma control for your child
- Have an up to date Asthma Action Plan for your child
- Ask your child’s asthma doctor to explain how to use the plan
- Make an appointment with your child’s asthma doctor every 3-6 months even if they have been well with their asthma
- Take your child’s asthma medicine delivery device/s and asthma action plan with you at every visit so that device technique can be checked and plan updated if needed
- Keep an asthma symptom diary to show to your child’s asthma doctor at each visit
- Ensure your child continues to take their asthma medications as prescribed - only stop them on your child’s doctor’s advice
Warning signs of worsening asthma – Seek medical review ASAP
- Night time coughing or wheezing
- Early morning coughing or wheezing
- Child unable to participate in usual activities without wheezing, coughing, or becoming short of breath
- Needing to use reliever medicine on more than 2 days per week (excluding for exercise)
- Needing to use reliever medicine every 3-4 hours
When to call an ambulance
- Needing to use reliever more frequently than every 2 hours
- Child is distressed and anxious
- Child is sucking in at the throat and ribs when they breathe
- Child has a bluish tinge to the lips
- Child is unable to talk due to breathlessness
- If you have concerns or doubts.
Remember:
- Have your child’s asthma control reviewed regularly
- Know the signs of poor asthma control
- Good asthma control is achievable
For more information on children and Asthma, download the "Asthma and your child: Resource pack"
