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The Asthma Corner
: How can I help monitor and control my child's asthma?
Monitoring and controlling your child's asthma symptoms at home
is essential. It's important to record symptoms and bronchodilator
use on a calendar or chart. This will help you and your doctor
assess the effectiveness of your child's treatment over time.
Use of a peak flow meter by children over six years may
also be helpful. This is a simple tube-like device that the child
breathes into to measure how efficiently the airways are working.
It's also very important for you and your child to have an action
plan to carry out prevention strategies and make sure everyone
knows what to do in an emergency.
At home, and especially in the child's room, dust should be kept
to an absolute minimum. If your child is allergic to a pet, it's
probably best to remove it from the home. However, it's possible
that the child may continue to react even weeks after the pet's
removal.
Pollen, the microscopic particles produced by plants and trees,
is another common allergen. So shut doors and windows when there's
increased pollen in the air.
Physical exercise can be another asthma trigger. But if good asthma
control is maintained, involvement in sports and other physical
activities rarely needs to be limited. In fact, physical fitness,
through physical activity, is among the best prevention strategies.
Most children with asthma are encouraged to participate in sports.
But there are a few important things to keep in mind:
- Some sports are more suitable than others. For instance,
swimming is often considered an excellent activity for children
with asthma. Consult your doctor for more information about
which activities are best suited for your child.
- Some children are encouraged to use a bronchodilator about
15 minutes before a physical activity begins. Consult your
health professional before trying this strategy.
- And, as always, taking the time to warm up and cool down
helps the body better adjust to different activity levels.
Other Asthma Corner
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The information provided in this site is
designed to be an educational aid only. It is not intended to
replace the advice and care of your child's physician, nor is
it intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. If
you suspect that your child has a medical condition, always
consult a physician.
© Autograph Communications Inc.,
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