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Warning-sign checks

Asthma in children: when to get help

Go through these in order and stop at the first one that applies. If you are reading this for someone else, answer for them.

  1. 1

    Is any of this happening now?

    Call 911

    Asthma should be reviewed periodically and after a significant flare, emergency visit, hospital stay, or major treatment change.

    Use the action plan for urgent symptoms and seek emergency care for severe breathing difficulty.

    And for anyone, someone who:

    • is struggling to breathe, gasping, choking, or cannot get words out
    Other emergency signs, for anyone
    • Someone who has chest pain, tightness or pressure lasting more than a few minutes
    • Someone who has sudden weakness or drooping on one side of the face or body, slurred speech, or sudden confusion
    • Someone who is unconscious, or cannot be woken
    • Someone who is bleeding heavily and it will not stop with firm pressure
    • Someone who has had a seizure that will not stop, or does not wake up afterwards
    • Someone who has lips or skin that look pale, blue, grey or blotchy
    • Someone who you believe has taken an overdose or swallowed something poisonous
  2. 2

    Does any of this apply?

    Book an appointment

    Routine follow-up is also important when the child seems well because airway inflammation and attack risk do not always match day-to-day symptoms.

    Contact the healthcare team between routine visits if symptoms increase, the child repeatedly needs reliever medicine, treatment interferes with daily life, or there are possible medicine side effects.

The article also says

At visits, the healthcare team may review daytime and nighttime symptoms, activity limits, school absences, reliever use, and recent attacks.

They should check inhaler and spacer technique, medicine access, adherence, side effects, growth, trigger exposure, and the asthma action plan.

Lung-function testing may be repeated when the child is able to perform it.

If control is poor, the clinician will usually check technique, missed treatment, triggers, and other health conditions before increasing therapy.

If asthma remains well controlled over time, treatment may sometimes be reduced under medical supervision.

Controller medicine should not be stopped or changed without discussing it with the prescriber.

Every sign above is quoted from the sofidex article on Asthma in children. If you are not sure, err upward — it is always reasonable to be checked.