Asthma in Children

Allergists provide the following tips for parents of children with asthma:

• Above all else, learn everything possible about asthma.
• If a child misses school because of asthma, it’s probably a sign that the treatment program should be re-evaluated.
• Understand the household and other environmental factors that trigger a child’s attacks and avoid them as best as possible.
• Recognize the signs of an oncoming attack and learn to judge its severity.
• Provide preventive care so the child has the least amount of difficulty with his or her asthma.
• Teach the child self-care.
• Be sure the child is using the asthma medications exactly the way the physician prescribed and is using an inhaler properly.
• If the physician has suggested using a peak flow meter and diary to assess the child’s level of asthma, be sure they are being used properly.
• Ask for some of the excellent educational materials and programs that are available, including asthma camps.
• Attend a free asthma screening. In addition to helping find adults and children at risk for asthma, screenings also provide an opportunity for diagnosed asthmatics to talk with a specialist about their disease and how to keep symptoms under control.

Will some children outgrow asthma?

The idea that asthma will be outgrown is more myth than reality. It is true that some individuals may reach a point where they no longer suffer from symptoms as frequently as they did in earlier years. However, the possibility of having an asthma episode always exists.