Help Your Child Live with Asthma
Learn everything you can about this common chronic condition
 Parents often make two
mistakes when a child
has asthma.
First, they don’t recognize
the symptoms.
Who would think that
a persistent cough or
a string of respiratory
infections could be
a sign of asthma?
Second, after diagnosis,
they avoid giving
medications as prescribed. Many feel that
the cure could be worse than the condition.
As one parent admits, it took her a while
to climb the learning curve. “Even though
I was a nurse at the time, I know I undermedicated
my children because I was fearful
of giving them all that medicine.”
About 6.3 million U.S. children have
asthma. Kapi‘olani pediatric hospitalist
Shannon Brigman, M.D., sees many patients
suffering from the complications of an
asthma attack and offers parents the
following advice:
Shannon Brigman, M.D.
 | Seek an asthma evaluation for any child who has frequent coughing or respiratory infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis. Other common symptoms include episodes of wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.- Learn everything you can about asthma. “The more you learn, the more comfortable you will be,” says Dr. Brigman.
- Work closely with your doctor to develop an asthma action plan for your child. “Make sure your child’s asthma is under control; if it is, he or she can do anything any other child can do,” she says. The latest action plans simulate a traffic light:
 | When children are in the “green” zone, they are symptom-free and can play without restrictions. Continue controller medicines and avoid triggers. |
 | In the “yellow” zone, children are experiencing common symptoms and parents are equipped with a staged medication plan to get their child’s condition under control. |
 | In the “red” zone, children feel awful. Symptoms have worsened. The child’s breathing is so hard that he may have difficulty walking and/or talking. Administer medication as directed. Call your doctor or go to the hospital. |
“It’s important to have a written plan so parents understand when to escalate treatment and medical assistance to the next level. The key is early identification and intervention to prevent the child’s condition from moving into the red zone and resulting in a visit to the emergency room,” says Dr. Brigman.
- Stick with the prescribed medication plan while avoiding or limiting asthma triggers. Common triggers include exercise, respiratory infections, allergies, and irritants such as tobacco smoke or cold air.
- Review your child’s treatment needs at school with teachers, coaches, administrators, and the nurse. They may not know much about asthma.
- Teach your child to help manage asthma. Depending on age and maturity, kids can learn to avoid triggers and recognize worrisome symptoms. Older children may be able to manage their own medication and treatment.
- Inform your doctor if treatment is not going well. Often medications need to be adjusted to achieve the best possible control of your child’s asthma.
“Asthma can be a very dangerous disease
and symptoms can arise when you least
expect them. It’s important not to let your
guard down,” Dr. Brigman says.
| To Learn More |
 Download Kapi‘olani’s Asthma Action Plan Form at
www.kapiolani.org/asthma. Complete the plan with
your child’s physician. |
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