Coach on Call. Thank you for your interest in Taking Care of Your Child s Asthma. I hope you find this tip sheet helpful.

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Coach on Call. Thank you for your interest in Taking Care of Your Child s Asthma. I hope you find this tip sheet helpful."

Pearl Blankenship
5 years ago
Views:

It was great to talk with you. Thank you for your interest in. I hope you find this tip sheet helpful. Please give me a call if you have more questions about this or other topics.

1 It was great to talk with you. Thank you for your interest in. I hope you find this tip sheet helpful. Please give me a call if you have more questions about this or other topics. As your UPMC Health Plan health coach, I am ready to help in any way I can. It can be overwhelming to have a child with asthma. You may feel confused, frightened, or unsure about what to do. But you can learn how to take care of your child s asthma, one step at a time. With practice it will get easier. You will feel surer of yourself. Keep in mind that, by taking care of your child s asthma, you can make a big difference. You can help your child to: Avoid asthma symptoms most or all of the time. Be physically active without having asthma symptoms. Sleep through the night without symptoms. Use a rescue or fast-acting inhaler only one or two times a week. Prevent permanent changes in lung function. What you can do to care for your child s asthma First of all, follow your child s own Asthma Action Plan. It tells you the actions to take based on your child s unique needs. A healthier life is life on is the on line the for you! line for you! UPMC_17_1612 CMN Copyright 2017 UPMC Health Plan Inc. All rights reserved C ON C CHILD ASTHMA 17CA07073 (MCG) 6/21/17

2 Page 2 of 7 In addition, read over the list below. It includes many things you can do to help your child. Do not let the list overwhelm you! As you read through it, make note of what you would like to put into action. Every step you take will improve your child s health! When you see your child s doctor Ask your doctor questions about your child s asthma. For example: How can my child and I learn more about asthma? Do you have written materials? Can you recommend any books or websites? Are there resources made for children? These are my child s symptoms. Should we be doing anything new or differently to treat them? Is there something more my child or I can do to prevent asthma symptoms? How do I know what is triggering my child s asthma symptoms? What does each of my child s medicines do? What s the right way to use them? Should my child get a lung function test? When you talk with your child Tell your child what asthma is and how it is cared for. Answer your child s questions. Use words that suit your child s age. Depending on your child s age, explain his or her Asthma Action Plan. Ask your child often about his or her asthma. Example questions: Did you have trouble breathing today? How often did you cough or wheeze? Were you able to play without having trouble breathing? How many times did you use your rescue inhaler? Do you know what might have triggered your symptoms? What can I do to help your asthma be better? Avoid your child s asthma triggers at home Common triggers include: Cold, dry air Tobacco smoke Dust mites Pollution Pollens Strong odors Indoor molds The common cold and other infections Pet dander Strong emotions, crying, and laughing hard Cockroaches

3 Page 3 of 7 Avoid your child s asthma triggers at home (cont.) No one should smoke inside or even outside your house. Those who smoke outside carry the smoke in on their clothes and hair. This can trigger asthma symptoms. Rugs, carpets, and soft chairs collect dust and can grow mold. Remove them if you can. If you cannot, sweep them at least once a week. Keep your house clean. Use a wet cloth when you dust. Otherwise the dust goes into the air. Keep food in containers and out of bedrooms. This helps keep cockroaches away, which can be a trigger. Use unscented detergents, soaps, lotions, shampoos, and cleaning products. Do not get a pet, if you do not already have one. If you have a pet, keep it out of your child s bedroom at all times. Keep the bedroom door shut. This gives your child 8-10 hours free of dander. Keep your child s bedding simple, to limit dust mites. Use only a few blankets and pillows. Limit soft toys to one favorite. Wash it weekly with bedding. Or put it in the freezer in the morning and take it out at night. Wash sheets, blankets, and pillows once a week to kill dust mites. Use an unscented detergent. Warm or cold water both work, if you dry the items in a hot dryer for at least 10 minutes. Is it hot and stuffy inside? Is there smoke or strong smells from cooking or cleaning? Open windows wide to let in fresh air. Is there a high level of pollution or pollen in the air outside? Close windows. Change furnace and air conditioning filters often. If you can, wait until your child is not at home to: Sweep, vacuum, or dust. Spray for insects. Use strong cleaners. Cook strong smelling foods. Help your child reach and keep a healthy weight Talk with your child s doctor about what a healthy weight is for your child. Is your child overweight? With the help of your child s doctor, make an eating and exercise plan to help your child grow into a healthy weight over time. Losing extra pounds reduces asthma symptoms and flare-ups.

4 Page 4 of 7 Encourage your child to exercise Children need about 60 minutes of exercise on most days of the week. But what if exercise triggers your child s asthma? Do not let that get in the way. Ask your doctor about a medicine your child can take before exercise. This will allow your child to participate in even vigorous exercise, such as running for a long period of time or playing basketball or soccer. Does your child need to use the medicine often during or after exercise? Tell your doctor. Your child s other medicines may need to be adjusted. Help your child avoid other triggers while exercising. For example, is cold, dry air a trigger? Have your child dress warmly and wear a hat and scarf when outdoors in winter. Is it extremely hot outside? Is the ozone level or pollen count high? Help your child find ways to exercise indoors. Keep an eye on symptoms Always watch carefully for your child s asthma symptoms. Learn how to use a peak flow meter. Teach your child how to use it. Make sure your child takes medicine as needed Teach your child the right way to take his or her medicines. Add medicine time to your child s daily to-do list. Keep a journal about your child s asthma Maintain a daily log in which you write down your child s asthma symptoms, triggers, and medicines taken and in what amount. At your child s school Tell your child s school principal, nurse, and teacher(s) that your child has asthma. Give them a copy of your child s Asthma Action Plan. Make sure they understand it. Give the school permission to give your child his or her asthma medicine. Tell coaches and anyone who supervises sports that your child has asthma. Be sure they know how to prevent an attack and how to respond to one. Make sure they understand that having asthma does not mean that your child cannot exercise.

5 Page 5 of 7 For caregivers (such as babysitters, neighbors, or grandparents) Choose a babysitter who is interested in caring for children with special health needs. Hire the babysitter for an afternoon or two to spend time with you and your child. Teach the babysitter how to take care of your child s asthma. Go over with caregivers how and when to use your child s asthma medicines. Write a letter giving permission for caregivers to OK treatment in case you cannot be reached in an emergency. Write down what the caregiver should do in an emergency. Include the name and phone number of your child s doctor as well as when and how to call an ambulance. Keep this on the fridge or somewhere where it can be easily found. Never leave your child in another person s care when his or her asthma is poorly controlled. Important! Call your child s doctor: After an emergency visit. When peak flow numbers have been getting lower. When symptoms are more frequent and more severe, even though your child is following his or her action plan. If your child has trouble breathing or is having an asthma attack, get medical help RIGHT AWAY. Emergency symptoms include: Trouble walking and talking due to shortness of breath. Blue fingernails or lips. Symptoms did not improve after using a nebulizer (quick-relief medicine). Get directions from your doctor about what to do in an emergency and when to go to the emergency room. During a severe asthma attack, your child may need to stay in the hospital. He or she may need oxygen and/or medicines administered through a vein.

6 Page 6 of 7 Take Action My SMART goal for this week Check when completed Do your best to reach the SMART* goal you set with your health coach. Write it here. Check the box when you have completed it. Staying on the path to wellness When you are ready, choose one or two ideas from this tip sheet that you would like to put into action. Set a weekly SMART goal for each one. Write your goals here. Check the boxes when you have completed them. SMART Goal 1: SMART Goal 2:

7 Page 7 of 7 *SMART goals are specific, measurable, appropriate, realistic, and timely. For example, On Tuesday, I will write a letter giving our babysitter permission to OK treatment for Billy if I cannot be reached. I will put it on the fridge. I will show it to her when she comes that night. SMART goals help you succeed! If you have any trouble setting your weekly SMART goals, ask your health coach for help. The information in this tip sheet is for educational purposes only. It is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Before making changes, always talk to your doctor about what is right for you. Sources: For Parents of Children with Asthma. American Lung Association. Accessed July 26, Asthma in Children. American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. asthma/who-has-asthma/children. Accessed July 26, Asthma Children. Medline Plus, National Institutes of Health. article/ htm. Accessed July 26, 2016.

Breathe Easy. Tips for controlling your Asthma

Breathe Easy. Tips for controlling your Asthma Breathe Easy Tips for controlling your Asthma Have you or a family member been told you have asthma? Are you or a family member coughing or wheezing? Do you or a family member have tightness in your chest?