| Asthma: Overview and care after a hospital visit | 785.000000000000 | Asthma: Overview and care after a hospital visit | Asthma: Overview and care after a hospital visit | A | English | Respiratory | Child (0-12 years);Teen (13-18 years) | Lungs | Lungs | Conditions and diseases | Caregivers
Adult (19+) | Cough;Wheezing | | 2019-12-13T05:00:00Z | | | | | | 7.20000000000000 | 69.8000000000000 | 1568.00000000000 | | Health (A-Z) - Conditions | Health A-Z | <p>Asthma is a condition that affects the lungs and causes breathing difficulties. If your child has visited the hospital for an asthma attack, it is important that you follow up with your primary care provider <strong>within one week</strong>, even if you child is feeling better, to ensure that they continue to improve and stay healthy.</p> | <h2>What is asthma?</h2><p>Asthma is a condition that affects your child’s lungs. When asthma is not well controlled, the airways narrow, become swollen and produce mucus. This makes it difficult to breathe.</p>
<figure class="asset-c-80">
<span class="asset-image-title">Narrowing of airways in asthma</span>
<img src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/akhassets/Asthma_narrow_airways_MED_ILL_EN.jpg" alt="Normal airways, muscles and alveoli compared to those during an asthma attack" />
<figcaption class="asset-image-caption">During an asthma attack, the muscles around the airways get tight. The airway narrow, become swollen and produce mucus, making it hard to breathe.</figcaption></figure> | | <h2>Key points<br></h2><ul><li>When asthma is not well controlled, the airways narrow, become swollen and produce mucus, causing breathing difficulties.</li><li>Early warning signs of asthma can include coughing, wheezing and breathing problems.</li><li>Late warning signs can include feeling very short of breath, continuous coughing or wheezing, difficulty talking, and/or “pulling in” of the skin at the neck or between/below the ribs.</li><li>The medicines you will use to treat your child's asthma are guided by an "asthma action plan" that you develop with your child's health-care provider.<br></li><li>The most effective way to control your child's asthma is to minimize exposure to the most common asthma triggers.</li><li>
<strong>After an asthma attack, it is very important that you follow up with your child’s primary care provider <u>within one week</u> of a visit to the hospital, even if your child feels better.</strong></li></ul> | | <h2>What are the signs and symptoms of asthma?</h2><h3>Early warning signs</h3><p>Problems with asthma can start slowly over hours or days. The small changes that happen in your child's body when they are having problems with asthma are called early warning signs.</p><p>Early warning signs of asthma include:</p><ul><li>Daytime coughing or wheezing (high-pitched whistling sound)</li><li>Breathing problems:</li><ul><li>Breathing faster than normal</li><li>Feeling short of breath</li><li>Feelings of chest tightness or a heavy chest</li><li>Any other difficulty breathing</li></ul><li>Nighttime awakening due to coughing, wheezing or breathing problems, even if only occurring once during the week</li><li>Coughing or trouble breathing with regular physical activity</li></ul><h3>Late warning signs</h3>
<figure>
<span class="asset-image-title">Visible late warning signs of asthma</span><img src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/akhassets/AsthmaSymptoms_EN.jpg" alt="Child displaying late warning signs of asthma" /><figcaption class="asset-image-caption"></figcaption></figure>
<p>Late warning signs of asthma include:</p><ul><li>Reliever puffer lasting less than 3 hours</li><li>Feeling very short of breath</li><li>Continuous coughing or wheezing</li><li>Difficulty talking</li><li>“Pulling in”of the skin at the neck or between/below the ribs</li></ul><p>If you see any of these late warning signs,
<strong>go to the nearest emergency room or call 911 immediately</strong>.</p> | | | | <h2>How is asthma treated?</h2><p>Asthma can be treated with a range of medicines. Medicines for asthma do not cure asthma but they can keep your child's lungs healthy and keep your child's asthma from getting worse.</p><p>Each medicine has a generic name and one or more brand names. The generic name is the chemical name for the drug. The brand name is given by the pharmaceutical company that produces the drug. Your child’s asthma medicines are part of an <a href="http://hcp.lunghealth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/lhf_pediatricaap_en_web_fillable.pdf">“asthma action plan”</a> that you will develop with your child’s doctor. The action plan tells you what to do if your child is well, having mild symptoms or is worsening.</p><h3>Reliever/rescue medicine</h3><ul><li>It relieves the tightening in the airways by relaxing the muscles around them. This can provide immediate relief when your child has signs or symptoms of asthma.</li><li>This medicine should only be used as needed with symptoms.</li><li>This medicine usually comes in a blue puffer.</li><li>Examples include salbutamol, also known by the brand name Ventolin.</li></ul><h3>Controller/preventer medicine</h3><ul><li>It reduces swelling and mucus in the airways, which helps heal the lungs, and further used daily for prevention to keep the asthma under good control.</li><li>It does not provide immediate relief and should be taken even if your child has no symptoms.</li><li>It is usually prescribed for an initial period of 12 weeks.</li><li>This medicine often comes in an orange, red or brown puffer.</li><li>Examples include fluticasone propionate, also known by the brand name Flovent.</li></ul><h3>Oral steroids (liquid or tablet medicine taken by mouth)</h3><ul><li>These are strong medicines that reduce swelling in the lungs.</li><li>Your child should take them only for a short time until their asthma is back under good control.</li><li>Examples include <a href="/Article?contentid=221&language=English">dexamethasone (also known by the brand name Decadron), prednisone, or prednisolone (also known by the brand name Pediapred)</a>.</li></ul> | | <h2>How do I use a puffer to give asthma medicine to my child?</h2><p>It is always recommended to use a spacer with a puffer to ensure the medicine is delivered directly to the lungs and nowhere else in the body.
<strong>It is never recommended to use a puffer without a spacer, regardless of a person’s age.</strong></p><h3>Using a puffer and spacer with a mask</h3><ol class="akh-steps"><li>
<figure><img src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/Asthma_ShakePuffer_EN_V02.jpg" alt="Canister, plastic holder and cap of a puffer" /></figure>
<p>Remove the cap and shake the puffer five times.</p></li><li>
<figure><img src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/akhassets/Asthma_PufferSpacer_EN.jpg" alt="Attaching puffer to spacer" /></figure>
<p>Put the puffer upright into the rubber hole of the spacer.</p></li><li><p>Have your child sit up or stand in a comfortable position and put the mask firmly on their face. Be sure the mask covers their mouth and nose.</p><div class="akh-series"><ul><li>
<figure>
<img src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/Asthma_OlderChildPositioning_EN.jpg" alt="Older child’s positioning while caregiver gives a puffer" /></figure>
<p>Older children can sit or stand in a comfortable position while you give them their puffer.</p></li><li><p>Younger children should be held on a parent’s lap. You can then use the “one-person approach” or “two-person approach” to give medicine to a younger child.</p><div class="asset-2-up">
<figure><span class="asset-image-title">One-person approach</span>
<img src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/akhassets/Asthma_OnePersonApproach_EN.jpg" alt="Giving a young child a puffer with only one person" />
<figcaption class="asset-image-caption">Sit in a chair and place your child on your lap. Hug the child tightly with one arm and, with your other hand, press the top of the puffer firmly to release a puff of medicine.</figcaption></figure>
<figure><span class="asset-image-title">Two-person approach</span>
<img src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/akhassets/Asthma_TwoPersonApproach_EN.jpg" alt="Giving a young child a puffer with two people" />
<figcaption class="asset-image-caption">Cross your leg over your child’s legs, hold their arms with your own arm and hold their forehead against your chest. Another adult will hold your child’s chin, place the mask firmly over your child’s nose and mouth and press the top of the puffer firmly to release a puff of medicine. </figcaption></figure></div></li></ul></div></li><li>
<figure>
<img src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/HowToUse_MDI_with_Spacer_5_EQUIP_ILL_EN_V02.jpg" alt="Holding mask of spacer over child’s nose and mouth for six to ten breaths" /></figure>
<p>Press the top of the puffer firmly. This will release one puff of medicine. Hold the mask over your child’s face and ensure they take
<strong>6-10 deep breaths</strong> from the spacer.</p></li><li><p>Encourage your child to take deep breaths. If your child needs more than one puff of the medicine, remove the puffer from the spacer and repeat steps 1 to 5. Do not press the puffer more than once at a time.</p></li></ol><p>If your child is using a spacer with a mouthpiece, ensure their technique has been assessed by a trained health-care professional so that the medicine is delivered properly.</p><h2>What to do when you finish giving asthma medicine with the puffer</h2><div class="akh-series"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-12">
<figure>
<img src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/akhassets/HowToUse_MDI_with_Spacer_6_EQUIP_ILL_EN.jpg" alt="Child drinking from a cup" /></figure>
<p>Take the mask off your child’s face and encourage them to rinse their mouth or have a drink. Wipe their face where the mask was placed.</p></div></div></div><h2>My child does not like using their puffer. What can I do?</h2><p>Giving puffers may upset a young child. This is natural. Try to make it fun for your child by singing, counting, watching a video or showing them how to use the puffer on yourself or a teddy bear. Your child will become more comfortable with puffers over time.</p><h2>How do I know when my child’s puffer is empty?</h2><p>All puffers have a certain number of doses in them. The best way to know when a puffer is empty is to keep track of the number of doses used.</p><h2>How often do I need to replace my child’s spacer?</h2><p>The spacer you receive from the hospital should be used temporarily or as a back-up spacer. You will then need to buy a spacer from your pharmacy. Most spacers last about a year before you need to replace them.</p><h2>How do I clean my child’s spacer?</h2><p>It is very important to
<a href="/Article?contentid=1478&language=English">wash the spacer regularly</a> to clear any build-up of saliva and have the spacer working properly.</p><p>Once a week, wash the spacer with soap and warm water by hand and let it air dry. If your child has a cold or virus, it should be cleaned more often to prevent the spread of infection.</p> | <h2>How can I control my child’s asthma?</h2><p>The most effective way to control your child's asthma is to minimize any triggers that can make it worse. It is important to understand that
<a href="/Article?contentid=1484&language=English">asthma triggers</a> are different for each person, and you can work with your child’s primary health-care provider to help identify them.</p><p>The most common asthma triggers in children are infections caused by viruses such as colds and the flu. To avoid getting sick, your child should wash their hands frequently and avoid contact with others who are sick. It is highly recommended that your child get their annual flu shot.</p><p>Other possible asthma triggers include:</p><ul><li>Allergens such as dust mites, animals, or pollens</li><li>Cigarette, cannabis or vape smoke</li><li>Irritants such as air pollution or strong scents</li><li>Changes of weather, cold air, or humidity</li><li>Strong emotions such as stress or anxiety</li></ul> | | <h2>Follow-up care</h2><p>After an asthma attack, it is very important that you <strong>follow up with your child’s primary care provider within one week of a visit to the hospital</strong>, even if your child feels better. This is to ensure that they continue to improve and stay healthy.</p><p>Even when your child seems better, they may have swollen airways for six to eight weeks or longer after their asthma was a problem. Your child should keep taking their controller medicine.</p> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | <h2>Resources</h2><p><a href="https://www.lung.ca/">Lung Association</a></p><p><a href="https://asthma.ca/">Asthma Canada</a></p><p><a href="https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/asthmahub">AboutKidsHealth</a></p> | | <img alt="" src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/asthma.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | | asthma | | | | | https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/akhassets/Asthma_narrow_airways_MED_ILL_EN.jpg | Asthma: Overview and care after a hospital visit | | False | | | Asthma: Overview and care | Asthma is a condition that affects your child’s lungs. Learn about how to care for your child after a hospital visit. | | | | |
