Page 3 - Healthy Kids Now - Spring/Summer 2022

Caregiver support helps improve asthma
Children with asthma face all sorts of challenges.Triggers — from dust and dander to cockroaches and cold air — seem to be everywhere. Even where you live can make asthma symptoms worse. But wherever you live, having a supportive family and a healthy lifestyle can have many benefits for your child, including:
• lower rates of sickness
• less stress and anxiety
• better quality of sleep
Here are a few great ways you can help make a supportive, nurturing home for your child and their asthma care.
Make time for family
Spend some time each day talking and listening to your kids. Plan or find activi- ties you can do as a family. Also, eat meals together to set a healthy example.
Stay ahead of asthma
Work with your child and your child’s doctor on an asthma action plan. This can help your child and their caregivers know what to do in case of an asthma flare-up. The plan should include:
• medications or treatments
• a list of triggers
• signs that asthma is getting worse • emergency contact information
Teach medication safety
For children who take medicine for their asthma, help them be part of their care plan. Follow these tips to help children build good medication habits:
• Describe their medication needs. Explain that the medicine is meant to help them feel better and stay well.
• Read labels together. This tells kids how much to take and when. Even if your child is too young to read the labels themselves, you’re showing them responsible behavior.Tell them that it’s important to always follow the health care provider’s directions.
• Talk about side effects. Giving younger children easier words to use, like tummy ache, helps them tell a caregiver when something is wrong. Make it clear which signs need help right away, such as short- ness of breath.
Sources: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, American Lung Association, Pediatrics, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Institutes of Health, Partnership to End Addiction, National Capital Poison Center, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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