How can I help my child have fewer asthma episodes (or symptoms)?

There are several things you can do to help your child have fewer asthma episodes.

Work with your child's doctor to identify your child's asthma triggers.
Take steps to reduce your child's exposure to asthma triggers.
Work with your child's doctor to come up with a written action plan for managing your child's asthma.
Follow the asthma action plan.
Share copies of your child's asthma action plan with your child's school, teachers, babysitters, and family members.
Talk about your child's asthma action plan with people in your child's life so that, in case of an asthma episode, they will know what to do.
Notice how often you child has asthma symptoms like coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, and trouble breathing. Ask for reports of asthma symptoms at school or child care.
Remind your children to wash their hands to reduce the spread of colds.
Contact your child's doctor if your child has asthma symptoms or uses a quick relief inhaler more than once or twice a week. You and your child's doctor may need to adjust the asthma action plan.

For more information on managing your child's asthma, visit http://www.epa.gov/asthma/about.html or www.noattacks.org

Download a copy of an asthma action plan (PDF) at www.epa.gov/asthma/pdfs/asthma_action_plan.pdf

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