It is very important that both parents and children understand very clearly how best to manage asthma. If the child has frequent attacks, or if symptoms prevent him from playing sport, sleeping at night, or feeling healthy, then it may be that the child is being undertreated. Your doctor should be made aware of this, so that treatment can be changed as necessary.
It is a good idea to keep in regular touch with the child’s doctor to make sure that symptoms are monitored closely and that treatment is optimal. Ensure that you and your child understand how to take the asthma medication — how much, how often, and the correct way to use the inhaler. If not sure, ask the doctor. The use of inhalers, in particular, needs to be explained carefully, and demonstrated several times.
Children with asthma are not always good at judging the severity of their symptoms. Often they say they feel fine even though their asthma is poorly controlled. Children over the age of 6-7 years may benefit from having a peak flow meter at home to monitor the asthma and the response to treatment. Check with your doctor to see if your child needs one.
It is important that you let the school know about your child’s asthma. Sport and exercise should be encouraged, not limited and avoided. Children may benefit from taking some inhalant medication just before exercise to prevent a wheeze or a cough from occurring during sport.
Asthma medicines are generally very safe, especially those that are inhaled. Children generally get into trouble because they do not take enough asthma medication, rather than because they take too much. If you feel that your child is experiencing side effects from medications (for example, sometimes medicine taken by mouth may make a younger child overactive), you should report this to your doctor so that changes can be considered. It is very important not to stop the medicine without letting your doctor know.
There should be an asthma management plan for every child with asthma. Parents and children should know what triggers asthma symptoms, what medications they take and how they work. They should also know what to do if the symptoms get worse, and what to do in an emergency if there is not the expected response to the drugs that are usually taken. If you or your child are uncertain about any aspect of asthma as it relates to you, then consult your doctor immediately. Do not wait until it is convenient, or until after the next acute attack. Do not put it off — asthma is often unpredictable — go and obtain the information now.
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