Asthma FYI

Symptoms of Asthma for child care providers

• Constant / frequent cough, especially at night
• Difficulty breathing / short of breath
• Tight chest / chest pain
• Breathing faster than usual
• Wheezing
• Coughing or out of breath with exercise
• Long recovery time (~20-30 min. or more) after exercise
• Complaint of stomachache or headache

Important points

• Emotions may trigger an asthma attack but airway swelling is real
• Asthma medications are not addictive but overuse can lead to arrhythmias
• A child whose asthma is well controlled should be able to participate in sports.
• Inability to tolerate activity means asthma is not well controlled.
• Extenders are essential to the use of all inhalers.  They slow propellants down.
  Without extenders inhaler mists are swallowed instead of inhaled.

Good asthma control requirements:

• Limit triggers
• Take daily asthma controller medications as prescribed
  • use extenders with all inhalers
  • Flovent, Pumicort, Advair are controllers
• An asthma action plan for acute flare-ups
  • Make sure you know the plan and how to do it!
• Take reliever medications as prescribed
  • learn how to give a nebulizer before an attack happens
  • use extenders with all inhalers
  • know where inhalers are
  • Proventil, Maxair, Ventolin, Accuneb are examples
  • routinely check to see if inhalers are full
  • if relievers are being too often ask why