Asthma action plan to do list
Is your child one of the 411,000 Australians under the age of 15 who have asthma?1 Several factors are associated with the likelihood of developing asthma in childhood, such as a family history of asthma or allergies, premature birth or low birth weight, proximity to bushfires, mould or second-hand cigarette smoke.
What asthma symptoms should I know about?
Not all children have obvious asthma symptoms, which means that all breathing symptoms are worth checking with your doctor, especially:1,2
- a persistent cough
- wheezing
- stomach "pumping" in and out when your child breathes
- “tugging" of skin around their neck
- chest tightness
- pain in the chest or tummy
You may find that your child’s symptoms aggravate at nights, early mornings and during or just after physical activity. If your child’s asthma is well managed, the symptoms may occur only occasionally.
Is your child’s asthma action plan in place?
This is a plan written by your child’s doctor in discussion with you, which sets out the steps to take to manage asthma day-to-day. It will also contain a plan for how to react to asthma flare ups, attacks or emergencies.3,4 You’ll likely find details such as:
- treatments and their proper use
- symptom prevention and control
- signs of worsening asthma
- recognising and knowing how to react to an emergency
- …and more, for each person's individual situation.
Remember to revise and update your action plan with your child’s GP, every six months or whenever symptoms change significantly.
Who should have access to the plan?
It’s important to share an updated copy of this plan with everyone who cares for your child, so they are aware of their role in managing asthma. Depending on their age and activities, this may include their childcare, kindergarten or school.
Find more on asthma here