If your child or teen has childhood asthma, there are five things that you should always report to your allergist or doctor to help stay on top of symptoms and manage the disease.
- If your child cannot play sports, participate in gym class or actively take part in recess activities. This likely means that the asthma is not being properly controlled, and will often require adjustments to medication.
- If your child’s symptoms or frequency of asthma attacks gets worse inside the home, or when outdoors. It is very common for children with asthma to also have allergies. Allergies can trigger asthma attacks, and can appear at any point in life. It only takes an environmental change, that you may not notice, for new allergies to appear.
- If your child misses school because of asthma symptoms. If your child’s symptoms are causing absences, the asthma is likely not being managed properly and adjustments to treatments may need to be considered.
- If asthma symptoms disappear. Remember, asthma does not have a cure, so it likely won’t disappear for good. A lack of symptoms, even for an extended period of time, should not cause you to lower your guard or stop carrying a rescue inhaler.
- If your child expresses being sad or angry because asthma makes them different from the other kids. Nearly half of children with asthma also report symptoms of depression. Feelings of sadness or anger should not be ignored.
Ramie Tritt, M.D., President, Atlanta ENT
