2. Talk to your child.
Depending on how young your child is, you will need to explain his or her condition in a way that he or she can understand and explain to others if necessary. “Educate your child on how to spot his or her asthma flare-up and what steps to take when this happens, such as notifying the class teacher or going to see the school nurse or self-administration of an inhaler,” Dr. Oyeyipo advises.
3. You can never be too safe.
Although many kids look forward to gym class, a half-hour of physical activity can be absolutely grueling and potentially deadly for someone with asthma, especially if it’s exercise-induced asthma. “Be sure to make the school aware, so that a bronchodilator inhaler (albuterol) can be administered prior to taking part in PE or sports activities,” Dr. Oyeyipo says.
READ: How To Protect Your Child From Common Asthma Triggers
4. Don’t skip out on key vaccinations.
Dr. Oyeyipo says the flu shot can be key when it comes to managing asthma: “Make sure your child is immunized against the flu when flu season rolls around in order to limit asthma flare-ups.”
5. Consider other options.
Feel like your child’s asthma isn’t improving? Then it may be time to talk with the doctor about the possibility of trying some new options. “If your child requires the use of a rescue inhaler like albuterol at least once daily, it’s advisable to see his or her doctor to see if adding a daily steroid inhaler would be indicated for better control of the asthma,” Dr. Oyeyipo says.