Being the parent of a child with asthma can be very scary. Watching your little one struggle to breath by no fault of their own, can send a sense of panic, dread, and helplessness to you. The following article will give you some tips to help you cope with raising an asthmatic child.
Your asthma should be well under control to prevent attacks. The fact is that maintenance and prevention are the best ways to avoid crisis. Having a working relationship with your doctor or specialist will keep you on top of your symptoms and on the medication that works with your specific needs.
A good tip that can help you if your child has asthma is to do everything you can to educate your child about asthma. Young children have no idea what asthma is or how it affects them, so it's your job to inform them and to help them work through it.
Avoid anything that can trigger your asthma. This is different for everyone, but some people, things like dust or pollen can trigger an attack. Or, you may need to avoid certain activities that overexert your body. Try to determine your asthma triggers, so you can avoid them and prevent attacks.
There are two types of asthma medications that are used by people in their on going hunt for relief from their condition. One is a long term management medication and the other is one to control an asthma attack. Your doctor may recommend one or a combination of both of them.
When dealing with asthma, you should limit your contact with animals.
what is asthma who have asthma also have an allergy to pets. Even if you do not have an allergy to pets, pets can carry trigger substances, such as dirt, in their fur. These substances could cause an attack without you being allergic to pets.
Keep in close contact with your allergist to let him know if your medication is working correctly to control your symptoms. Make him aware if your medication seems to be not working as well as it once may have. Your dosage or medication may need to be changed in order to help you.
Quick relief or preventative treatment inhalers are medicines that need to be administered properly. Make sure you breath deeply into your lungs as you depress the inhaler. Hold the medication in your lungs for at least 3 to 5 seconds before you exhale allowing it to take better effect.
You may want to consider not getting pregnant if you have severe asthma. Hormones caused during pregnancy may increase asthma symptoms. If you do decide to get pregnant and you have asthma, be sure that your doctor knows of your asthma so that they can help control your symptoms during pregnancy.
Have your home inspected at least once a year for mold and other spores. Many asthmatics, especially children, can have their asthma exacerbated by exposure to these allergens. Living in a home full of mold spores can even trigger repeated asthma attacks to the point of permanently damaging a child's respiratory system.
Raw apple cider vinegar is an excellent treatment for those who suffer from asthma. Mix two tablespoons with eight ounces of water or apple juice and drink up to three times daily. If you use water, honey can be added to make it more palatable. Look for raw apple cider vinegar in the health food section of most grocery stores.
Protect yourself against pneumonia and bronchitis if you have asthma. These illnesses are related to your lungs and cause breathing to be labored. As bad as it is for a regular, healthy person, it is even worse for an asthma patient because your lung function is already low.
If you use a preventative inhaler without a spacer, gargle with salt water and brush your teeth immediately after using it. The medication from a preventative inhaler will collect at the back of your throat, which is a moist environment, perfect for the growth of bacteria and fungi. If your inhaler were to become contaminated, you could contract thrush from using it. Gargling and brushing your teeth should help prevent this.
As stated in the article above, being the parent of a child with asthma can be a very scary thing. As a parent, it can be hard to watch your child gasping for air, and knowing there is not much you can do to help them. Hopefully this article has given you some good tips for coping with raising an asthmatic child, and making the best of it.