What to Do When Child is Diagnosed to Have Asthma #ParentingChildren

Once your child is diagnosed to have asthma, there are 4 specific points to know.

1) Objective measures of lung function like spirometry or peak flow measurements for children 6 or 7 years old and above.
2) Pharmacologic therapy
3) Environmental control measures
4) Asthma education

Once signs and symptoms of an asthma episode occur, the first thing that one should do is to find out whether the attack was severe or not. For an older child, a peak flow meter may prove to be useful however a “personal best” must first be established as this will be the basis for the severity of the attack. If this is not available, then you may just have to rely on signs and symptoms alone.

Initially the child may complain of itchiness in the throat accompanied by frequent coughing episodes. You can start an inhaled salbutamol or terbutaline every 4 hours or as needed and call your doctor. In case your child complains of difficulty in breathing or your child has “fast breathing” give inhaled salbutamol or terbutaline every 20 minutes in 2 – 3 doses and proceed to your doctor or nearest hospital.

Do not attempt to give inhaled salbutamol or terbutaline for a prolonged period without consulting your doctor. If your child has frequent symptoms like, almost – monthly episodes, then your child will need a maintenance therapy. A nebulizer is not needed in every home. It is usually recommended for children with moderate to severe asthma or for the very young child who cannot use inhaler devices.

In terms of pharmacological therapy, there are two main classes of drugs used in asthma, namely:

1) Relievers or rescue medicines like terbutaline or salbutamol; longer acting drugs like salmeterol or formoterol are often used in the maintenance regimen together with inhaled steroids or they may be used to prevent exercise induced asthma.

2) Controllers would include leukotriene modifiers and inhaled steroids. These are used daily even without symptoms and exacerbations or attacks and can be used for a long time from months to years as long as the child needs it. However, even if your child has no asthma symptoms, there is a need for a regular check-up to taper and adjust the medications used in maintenance therapy. Do not attempt to adjust or stop the medications without consulting your doctor. These medications are not given for life and evaluation of the asthma of your child is done by your doctor.

Asthma education is a very important aspect in the management of the disease. The parents or caretaker or the patient himself/herself is given proper instructions on how to deal with an acute asthma episode.