When your child's asthma symptoms kick in, it's comforting to be able to reach for their quick-relief inhaler.
A quick-relief inhaler can open the breathing tubes fast.
This helps stop asthma symptoms like coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.
Quick-relief medicine is used when symptoms can't be prevented and need to be treated fast.
Needing medicine for relief of asthma symptoms often means that your child's asthma is not controlled.
So it's vital to know if your child is using their inhaler too often.
If your child needs their inhaler for quick relief on more than 2 days a week, that means their asthma is not controlled.
Keep track of every time your child uses the inhaler. Write down the time, date, and reason why.
That will help you and your doctor know exactly how your child is doing.
If your child is using the inhaler too often, you can work with your doctor to help get your child's asthma back under control.
Now, exercise can be a trigger for asthma.
If your child is active often or plays sports, they may take quick-relief medicine to prevent an asthma attack.
That's usually okay, even if it's more than 2 days a week.
Using the inhaler before exercise will be prescribed by a doctor.
Be sure to call your doctor if your child needs to use their quick-relief inhaler more than two days a week, unless it's just for exercise.
Look for changes in your child's asthma symptoms.
For example, their asthma may not be controlled if their symptoms cause them to wake up at night, be less active, or miss school.
Your child may need to start taking a daily controller medicine, which helps prevent asthma attacks.
If your child is already taking a daily controller, the doctor may want to change the amount or type.
Keeping up with your child's asthma can be challenging.
By following these steps, you can help your child feel better, do more, and prevent problems.
