If your child has asthma, the main goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms so they can engage in regular physical activities. It is also critical to avoid emergency room visits and hospitalizations due to asthma attacks.
With proper medication and management, your child should only have asthma symptoms once or twice a week. Asthma symptoms should also not wake them up more than twice a month. Most notably, your child should be able to participate in all forms of play, sports, and physical education.
Different forms of asthma medicine
Asthma medications are available in several forms, including:
- Pills
- Dry powder inhalers
- Metered-dose inhalers
- Liquids suitable for use in nebulizers
- Injections
Note: Inhaled forms are desirable since they deliver the medicine straight to your child's airways.
Which asthma medicine does my child need?
Asthma is unique to each individual, and symptoms can change over time. Your child's doctor will decide which asthma medication is best for the treatment based on how severe and frequent the symptoms are, as well as the age of the child. If your child has asthma symptoms that come and go, they will be given medications for short periods. If your child's symptoms become more frequent, they may require controller medication.
To prevent symptoms, it is necessary to take multiple medications together. Your child's doctor may prescribe several medications to control asthma symptoms and reduce them as needed. The doctor may also advise your child to use a peak flow meter at home to monitor lung function. It can assist you in making therapy decisions and tracking how changes made by your doctor affect your child.
There are two types of asthma medications: quick-relief medications and controller medications.
Quick-relief medications
Short-term relief is possible by quick-relief medications provided via an inhaler or nebulizer. They work quickly to open up narrowed airways and relieve chest tightness, wheezing, and shortness of breath. They are also helpful in preventing asthma caused by exercise. Albuterol is the most commonly used pain reliever. It is one of the components of a generic Combivent inhaler.
Administer these medications only when your child requires them. They are helpful for any asthma signs, not just asthma attacks, such as wheezing, chest tightness, and coughing. Your child should have pain relievers readily available at home, school, and anywhere else they participate in sports.
To reduce inflammation inside the airways; and speed recovery from severe asthma attacks, your child may be given corticosteroids by mouth or injection.
Controller medications
Regular use of controller medication is a must to check asthma and decrease the number of days or nights in which your child experiences symptoms. These medicines do not alleviate symptoms. Controller medications are necessary for children who have symptoms more than twice per week or wake up more than twice per month. The number and severity of your child's asthma attacks determine whether they require controller medication. These can be:
- Inhaled corticosteroids
- Combination inhalers
- Theophylline
- Leukotriene receptor antagonists, as well as biologic injections
New asthma management guidelines: get SMART.
Updated guidelines now suggest using single reliever therapy for children aged four and above with moderate to severe persistent asthma (SMART). SMART allows your child to use just one combination inhaler instead of an inhaled steroid daily and a quick-relief therapy as needed.
This inhaler includes both a corticosteroid and a LABA known as formoterol. Formoterol quickly relieves your child's symptoms, while corticosteroids help keep their asthma under control. Your child can use the same inhaler as directed by their doctor once or twice a day, as well as when they need immediate relief from asthma symptoms.
The benefits of SMART include only needing one inhaler and exposure to fewer corticosteroids. Consult your doctor to see if SMART is a good fit for your child.
Asthma action plan
Everyone who is affected with asthma should have a written asthma action plan. The plan details your child's treatment, such as the medications they take and when they take them. It also explains how to manage asthma long-term and deal with an asthma attack. In addition, the plan specifies when you should contact your child's doctor or go to the emergency room.
Everyone who looks after your child should have a copy of their asthma action plan. E.g., family members, child care providers, team coaches, camps, schools, instructors, etc. In an emergency, these people can assist your child in carrying out their asthma action plan.
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