Teaching 6yo about his Asthma

[SewingGreenMama]

Hi mama's
What have you done to begin teaching your children about their Asthma?
To help them be an active part of their own health care and treatment. Esp so that they can be confident about their safety while under the care of other adults who may not be as aware of Asthma symptoms.

Gabriel's asthma is still fairly mild, but has shown signs of growing increasingly serious each time it crops up. So I want him to learn now, while it is mild.

I'm researching and looking into ways to hopefully keep it from becoming more serious.

Thanks. Just feeling a bit overwhelmed, learning all I can, and finding ways to teach Gabriel all I can about his own health.

[mummy2boys]

I have asthma myself and worked at a preschool so am thinking of what we had for a child :think

Do you have an "Action Plan for Asthma?" I am in Australia so it may be different but I know we had a print out from the doctor with the child's symptoms ranging from mild - moderate - severe and we could "rate" their asthma going off that. Maybe if he can identify some of those symptoms that could help him and the adults looking after him.

Would your local library have books about asthma that you could read with him?

Will be back if I can think of anymore but I hope maybe that is a couple of helpful ideas :smile

[mamacat]

Are you using meds only or are you looking for natural things to help as well?

[SewingGreenMama]

We are currently only on meds. But I'm looking for other ways to lower his chance of a flare up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mamacat]

Left you some ideas in other thread that we have found helpful :yes

[MaybeGracie]

:think Jacob has allergy-induced asthma, but he's had no flare ups since we removed the source of his allergies (our cats; Jacob was :bheart, poor baby) and treated the build-up from living with those cats his entire life.

I'm not sure what to suggest, other than to teach him to really be aware of what his particular symptoms tend to be, as well as any triggers you guys may have identified. The asthma specialist Jacob saw had a model which she used to explain to him what was happening with his airways; if he hasn't seen something like that, perhaps you could find a book that explains things. We had Jacob's Asthma Action Plan hanging on our fridge, and we checked in with him often to see how he was sounding. He knew to come to us if he was having any wheezing or difficulties breathing. But we really haven't had to deal with it at all since his treatment for the allergy side of things (a daily inhaler and nose drops for about six months).

[sara1215]

DD1 is 5 and has asthma as well. It tends to be worse in the winter time and clear up once spring is over. Last summer she didn't need any meds at all. Right now she takes children's Zyrtec every day as well as a Flovent inhaler on days I remember :sigh: Then she has an Albuterol inhaler at preschool if she starts wheezing and a nebulizer at home. Right now we are working on her learning to use the inhaler without the spacer. Getting the puff and the breath coordinated is so tricky!

[SewingGreenMama]

Gabriel's triggers that we've identified are:
* Severe immediate temperature change from warm to cold. This winter in TN where we had one day in the 50's and the next in the 20's wreaked havoc on his poor airways.

*Illness/infection - in the past three years he has only been sick 3 times that didn't end up sinking into his lungs causing coughing etc. He has been sick at least 20 times the last three years, most just mild, but several times its been severe, and twice he has been hospitalized.

I honestly don't think it is allergy induced, unless it is mold. He has rarely been sick during allergy season, usually because the good warm weather, once seasonal allergies hit Gabriel is good.

Also I'm livid because my toddler snuck into my purse while I was in the bathroom and now Gabriel's albuteral inhaler is missing. Thankfully I have a second one, but I'm really frustrated and I'm about to start deep cleaning the house to find it.

[mamacat]

can you ask for a RX for a nebulizer? That way you can use the saline neb treatments and that may help from having to use the inhaler as much .Even when worked in a hospital years ago they would do saline neb treatments sometimes.IME more helpful and less hard on lungs then the inhaler to neb the albuterol if needed.Also recently heard to rinse mouth out after using the inhaler

[SewingGreenMama]

We have a nebulizer and albuteral for it.
But I was told by the respiratory nurse when we were in the hospital, that the inhaler actually gives more of the medication then the nebulizer.

The nebulizer takes 12-15 minutes to finish. If you wait the same amount of time after giving the inhaler, the child will be just as well off, and often time better then with the nebulizer.

And yes, the teeth should be brushed after using the inhaler, or thoroughly rinsed with water if away from home. The meds could cause teeth rot after a while if not cleaned off.

I'm more concerned about when we are away. We've not really had any problems away from home, but I'm not taking chances.