A worsening of your child’s asthma caused by exposure to one of their triggers. These vary between children but the most common ones are coughs and colds, cold weather, cigarette smoke, pet fur or feathers and pollen.
Asthma Action Plan
Keep this plan with you and take it every time you see the doctor or nurse at your GP surgery (or Hospital). This plan is for patients with asthma – your GP/doctor (or nurse) will fill it in and explain the different medicines to control your asthma. It will also show you how to recognise when the asthma or wheeze is getting worse and what to do about it. By taking steps early – acute attacks can usually be prevented.
Click here to view the acute asthma paediatric pathway.
When should you worry?
If your child is:
Too breathless to talk / eat or drink
Has blue lips
Having symptoms of cough/wheeze or breathlessness which are getting worse despite 10 puffs blue (salbutamol) inhaler every 4 hours
Confused and drowsy
Ring 999 for immediate help
Give 10 puffs of blue (salbutamol) reliever inhaler every 10 minutes until ambulance arrives
Keep child in upright position and reassure them
If your child is:
Wheezing and breathless and blue (salbutamol) reliever inhaler 2-5 puffs is not lasting 4 hours
Having a cough or wheeze/tight chest during the day and night
Too breathless to run / play / do normal activities
Immediately contact your GP and make an appointment for your child to be seen that day face to face
Increase blue (salbutamol) reliever inhaler 6-10 puffs every 4 hours
Your child's asthma is good if:
Have no cough
Have no wheeze
Can play or exercise as usual
Are sleeping well
Are going to school
Self care
To keep the asthma under control, you need to take your treatment every day
This guidance has been reviewed and adapted by healthcare professionals across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw with consent from the Hampshire development groups.
Choose appropriate sized spacer with mask (or mouthpiece if child is over 3 years with good technique and is not significantly short of breath).
Shake the inhaler well and remove cap
Fit the inhaler into the opening at the end of the spacer
Place mask over the child’s face or mouthpiece in their mouth ensuring a good seal
Press the inhaler once and allow the child to take slow breaths between each dose
Remove the inhaler and shake between every puff. Wait 1 minute between puffs
Repeat steps 1 – 5 for subsequent doses
Plastic spacers should be washed before 1st use and every month as per manufacturer’s guidelines
For videos on using your child’s inhaler and spacer correctly see goo.gl/235DQf
Over the next few days, your child will given a blue (salbutamol) reliever inhaler and you need to take 2-4 puffs of your reliever (1 puff at a time) every 4 hours using the spacer
Download the asthma care plan to support your child's asthma
Ensure your child always has access to their reliever (blue) inhaler and spacer
Start reliever treatment early at the start of a runny nose - 2 puffs 4 hourly
Remember to leave a spare reliever inhaler (with/without spacer) at school for your child and ensure that it is kept in date
Remember to take inhaler with you or your child on any trips away from home
Always use the correct inhaler device as prescribed for you or your child
Remember a spacer is the best way to deliver reliever treatment in an emergency
Remember to keep any follow up appointments and attend their annual asthma review at their general practice
If your child has been discharged from hospital following an exacerbation, you should arrange for them to be seen in the next 48 hours by the GP/Practice nurse
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