Having childhood asthma is difficult, and helping your child cope can be overwhelming, especially if you are gathering information for the first time. But with the help of your pediatrician and applying some basic strategies and principles, you can help your child to live in a positive and safe way. Here are seven basic steps that will help your child cope with asthma.
1. Know the difference between inhalers. Not all children will need to have two inhalers, but many do. One of these will be preventative, taken every day at regular intervals, while the other is for relieving the symptoms should they occur. Knowing which inhaler is which is important in helping to keep the asthma controlled. Help your child mark the inhalers in some way. Perhaps using coloured stickers, or wrapping a label around it so that they can draw or write on it. This will act as a helpful visual reminder, as well as personalizing their inhalers. Just be careful that any decoration doesn't affect or cover the air holes or intake vents.
2. Create a routine. If your child needs to take a preventative inhaler each day, then this will need to be established as a routine or piggy back onto other routines that are already in place. For example, if they need to use their inhaler in the morning and again at night, combine this with brushing their teeth. This is a good idea anyway since some substances used in many inhalers can damage teeth, so brushing afterwards is a good idea.
3. Help siblings understand. Be careful not to fuss over your asthmatic child too much. This is not healthy for the child with asthma and can increase sibling rivalry. Well children may begin to feel less loved and not as valued or important as the asthmatic child. Avoid this by not only spending time helping others in the family understand what having asthma is like, but planning one on one activities with your other children as well. Siblings are more likely to show empathy if they feel their place in the family is secure, and know more about what having asthma is about.
4. Make sure asthma is a subject of honesty. Childhood asthma is serious, as is asthma at any age, and it is crucial that your child knows that they can always talk to you. Try to work with your child to create a sense of trust so that they know they can bring it up concerns at any time. It could save their life.
5. Arrange regular checkups. Asthma doesn't tend to remain static. It may sometimes appear to be getting better, while other times appear to be worsening. Many aspects will tend to affect the severity, and so it is especially important to make sure that your child has regular checkups with the doctor to assess the current situation. This can result in a change in prescription or other recommendations.
6. Be Positive and Encouraging. Help your child avoid using asthma as an excuse to get out of certain activities. Encourage them to identify ways of dealing with the condition positively rather than avoiding it. Certain triggers at school can easily be avoided, such as sitting next to a dusty blackboard, or staying indoors on days when outside conditions are unhealthy. Help them define physical activities that they can enjoy and still keep the asthma contolled. Helping your child cope with childhood asthma should be about common sense, understanding and strength.
7. Minimize triggers. There are many causes for asthma flare ups. Use a high efficiency particle arresting or HEPA air purifier to eliminate triggers such as airborne pet dander, dust, dust mites, mold and mildew spores, pollen, smoke, and odors to keep indoor air quality as healthy as possible. Removing these irritants from the air will make a real difference in how effectively your child is able to cope with asthma.
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