Asthma in Children (cont.)
How do I know when my child's asthma is well controlled?
You know your child's asthma is well controlled if, with medications, your
child:
- Lives an active, normal life
- Has few troublesome symptoms
- Attends school every day
- Performs daily activities without difficulty
- Has few urgent visits to the doctor, emergency room, or hospital for asthma
- Has few medication side effects
By learning about asthma and how it can be controlled, you take an important
step toward managing your child's disease. We encourage you to work closely
with your child's asthma care team to learn all you can about asthma, how to
avoid triggers, what medications do, and how to correctly give them. With
proper care, your child can live free of asthma symptoms and maintain a normal,
healthy lifestyle.
Will my child outgrow asthma?
Once a person's airways become sensitive due to asthma, they remain that way
for life. However, about 50% of children experience a noticeable decrease in
asthma symptoms by the time they become adolescents, therefore appearing to
have "outgrown" their asthma. About half of these children will develop
symptoms again in their 30's and/or 40's. Unfortunately, there is no way to
predict whose symptoms will decrease during adolescence and whose will return
later in life.
What do I do when my child has an asthma attack?
If your child is showing symptoms of an asthma attack:
- Give your child his/her reliever (bronchodilator) medicine according to the
asthma action plan.
- Wait five to fifteen minutes. If the symptoms disappear, your child should
be able to resume whatever activity they were doing. If symptoms persist,
follow your child's asthma action plan for further therapy. If your child fails
to improve or you are not sure what action to take, call your child's
physician.
Danger signs are severe wheezing, severe coughing, trouble walking and/or
talking, or blue lips and/or fingernails. If any of these are present go to the
emergency department or call 911.
WebMD Medical Reference
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD, on February 5, 2008
Reviewed by Jonathan L. Gelfand, MD, on September 14, 2008
© 2008 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
Last Editorial Review: 2/3/2009
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