Q. My child suffers from exercise-induced asthma. Now that the weather has warmed, I don't want to deprive him from the physical activities of summer, but I can't watch him suffer from the wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath that follows. What is the best solution?
A. The majority of children diagnosed with asthma can and should enjoy the summertime rituals of swimming, sports and outdoor play. The key to a healthy, active summer for your child is a proactive treatment plan.
If your son experiences asthma symptoms when he is physically active, it is a sign his treatment plan needs improvement. For years, the stereotype of a person living with asthma has been portrayed as someone who is constantly taking a puff from an inhaler. Unfortunately, this image exists in reality for many children and adults who accept their ongoing asthma symptoms as a normal part of their everyday lives.
While a number of people continue to rely on emergency inhalers to control their symptoms or allow their asthma to limit their participation in normal activities, this no longer needs to be the case for the vast majority of asthma patients.
Asthma Control
If your child is often reacting to symptoms, it's time to take a new approach to asthma management that focuses on preventing the symptoms. To get started:
1) Establish and maintain a relationship with a healthcare professional - perhaps your son's primary care provider or an allergist/pulmonologist (a physician who specializes in the treatment of allergies and lung disorders). This relationship shouldn't stop with an asthma diagnosis or an initial prescription.
While symptoms can be managed, asthma cannot be cured. Patients benefit from regular visits throughout their lives with a primary healthcare provider who understands their individual concerns and is familiar with their medical history.
2) Take medications as prescribed. Most asthma management plans include medicines that prevent symptoms along with medicines that help immediately relieve symptoms.
Certain medicines are taken even when the individual appears healthy, while others might only be used when the person is struggling with symptoms. When people stray from their treatment plan without checking with their physician, they make themselves more vulnerable to health complications.
For instance, if your son is forgoing his preventive medicine, he may be trying to compensate by using his emergency inhaler after symptoms arise. This is not true asthma management, and it can carry some serious risks due to the unmanaged symptoms or the overuse of emergency medicine.
3) Include others in your child's asthma management plan. Teachers, coaches and other caregivers have varying levels of knowledge when it comes to asthma, so you must take the initiative to include them in your child's treatment plan.
You can help them by making a list of symptoms, medicines and instructions on what to do if your child needs help. Make sure your child has their prescribed medication at school and that a signed "Consent for Prescription Medications" form is on file at your child's school. This form must be signed by your child's healthcare provider in order for your child to take prescription medications at school.
4) Don't put off seeking treatment when symptoms flare. Even with an effective management plan in place, you can't eliminate every asthma trigger. Respiratory illnesses, lifestyle changes, stress, environmental factors and even biological changes may cause your child's asthma to worsen after months or even years of being symptom-free.
When symptoms persist or your child is suffering from respiratory illness, see a healthcare professional. Your child's treatment plan may need to be adjusted, or additional short-term medications may be indicated to avoid more serious health threats.
5) Prevent respiratory illness. The flu vaccination is a good idea for your child and all members of the family as recommended by your family's healthcare provider, as it will help control the spread of influenza in your home. Good hygiene practices that prevent the spread of germs are another effective tool.
When to Limit Activity
While most people with exercise-induced asthma can enjoy an active lifestyle with the right treatment plan, your child should limit physical activity when:
•Symptoms and/or illness are present. When asthma symptoms are present, continuing activity can irritate the problem and lead to more serious complications.
•If the activity is overly strenuous or prolonged. While your child can try different activities, certain activities require more endurance than others - which is fine if your child is symptom-free. However, if your son is experiencing asthma symptoms when playing certain sports, he may want to try a different activity that is less likely to trigger symptoms.
Examples of high-endurance activities are: basketball, cross-country skiing, cycling, ice hockey, long-distance running, rugby and soccer. Examples of activities that are less likely to trigger asthma are: baseball, golf, sprinting, swimming and weightlifting.
When to Seek Immediate Help
People who live with asthma often grow accustomed to their symptoms. It's important people with asthma and their families take the disease seriously and seek emergency medical treatment if:
• Symptoms disrupt the ability to speak or walk.
• Lips and fingernails turn gray or blue.
• Your peak flow meter (hand-held device used to measure how air flows from the lungs) readings drop below 50% of your personal best peak flow reading.
• Ribs and neck muscles show when inhaling.
• Heart rate or pulse is fast.
• Medicine does not relieve symptoms.
While most people who have asthma can live long, physically active lives, it's important to recognize that asthma is a serious disease that can result in serious consequences. Asthma is the leading chronic illness of children in the United States, and asthma attacks are responsible for many missed school and workdays. While asthma-related deaths have been continuously declining for the past six years, they can still occur. If you or someone you know experiences the symptoms listed above, do not hesitate to seek medical care immediately.
- As a certified pediatric nurse practitioner, Janis King works with children of all ages. She also sees patients through Monroe Clinic's Pediatric Asthma Clinic.
A. The majority of children diagnosed with asthma can and should enjoy the summertime rituals of swimming, sports and outdoor play. The key to a healthy, active summer for your child is a proactive treatment plan.
If your son experiences asthma symptoms when he is physically active, it is a sign his treatment plan needs improvement. For years, the stereotype of a person living with asthma has been portrayed as someone who is constantly taking a puff from an inhaler. Unfortunately, this image exists in reality for many children and adults who accept their ongoing asthma symptoms as a normal part of their everyday lives.
While a number of people continue to rely on emergency inhalers to control their symptoms or allow their asthma to limit their participation in normal activities, this no longer needs to be the case for the vast majority of asthma patients.
Asthma Control
If your child is often reacting to symptoms, it's time to take a new approach to asthma management that focuses on preventing the symptoms. To get started:
1) Establish and maintain a relationship with a healthcare professional - perhaps your son's primary care provider or an allergist/pulmonologist (a physician who specializes in the treatment of allergies and lung disorders). This relationship shouldn't stop with an asthma diagnosis or an initial prescription.
While symptoms can be managed, asthma cannot be cured. Patients benefit from regular visits throughout their lives with a primary healthcare provider who understands their individual concerns and is familiar with their medical history.
2) Take medications as prescribed. Most asthma management plans include medicines that prevent symptoms along with medicines that help immediately relieve symptoms.
Certain medicines are taken even when the individual appears healthy, while others might only be used when the person is struggling with symptoms. When people stray from their treatment plan without checking with their physician, they make themselves more vulnerable to health complications.
For instance, if your son is forgoing his preventive medicine, he may be trying to compensate by using his emergency inhaler after symptoms arise. This is not true asthma management, and it can carry some serious risks due to the unmanaged symptoms or the overuse of emergency medicine.
3) Include others in your child's asthma management plan. Teachers, coaches and other caregivers have varying levels of knowledge when it comes to asthma, so you must take the initiative to include them in your child's treatment plan.
You can help them by making a list of symptoms, medicines and instructions on what to do if your child needs help. Make sure your child has their prescribed medication at school and that a signed "Consent for Prescription Medications" form is on file at your child's school. This form must be signed by your child's healthcare provider in order for your child to take prescription medications at school.
4) Don't put off seeking treatment when symptoms flare. Even with an effective management plan in place, you can't eliminate every asthma trigger. Respiratory illnesses, lifestyle changes, stress, environmental factors and even biological changes may cause your child's asthma to worsen after months or even years of being symptom-free.
When symptoms persist or your child is suffering from respiratory illness, see a healthcare professional. Your child's treatment plan may need to be adjusted, or additional short-term medications may be indicated to avoid more serious health threats.
5) Prevent respiratory illness. The flu vaccination is a good idea for your child and all members of the family as recommended by your family's healthcare provider, as it will help control the spread of influenza in your home. Good hygiene practices that prevent the spread of germs are another effective tool.
When to Limit Activity
While most people with exercise-induced asthma can enjoy an active lifestyle with the right treatment plan, your child should limit physical activity when:
•Symptoms and/or illness are present. When asthma symptoms are present, continuing activity can irritate the problem and lead to more serious complications.
•If the activity is overly strenuous or prolonged. While your child can try different activities, certain activities require more endurance than others - which is fine if your child is symptom-free. However, if your son is experiencing asthma symptoms when playing certain sports, he may want to try a different activity that is less likely to trigger symptoms.
Examples of high-endurance activities are: basketball, cross-country skiing, cycling, ice hockey, long-distance running, rugby and soccer. Examples of activities that are less likely to trigger asthma are: baseball, golf, sprinting, swimming and weightlifting.
When to Seek Immediate Help
People who live with asthma often grow accustomed to their symptoms. It's important people with asthma and their families take the disease seriously and seek emergency medical treatment if:
• Symptoms disrupt the ability to speak or walk.
• Lips and fingernails turn gray or blue.
• Your peak flow meter (hand-held device used to measure how air flows from the lungs) readings drop below 50% of your personal best peak flow reading.
• Ribs and neck muscles show when inhaling.
• Heart rate or pulse is fast.
• Medicine does not relieve symptoms.
While most people who have asthma can live long, physically active lives, it's important to recognize that asthma is a serious disease that can result in serious consequences. Asthma is the leading chronic illness of children in the United States, and asthma attacks are responsible for many missed school and workdays. While asthma-related deaths have been continuously declining for the past six years, they can still occur. If you or someone you know experiences the symptoms listed above, do not hesitate to seek medical care immediately.
- As a certified pediatric nurse practitioner, Janis King works with children of all ages. She also sees patients through Monroe Clinic's Pediatric Asthma Clinic.
