If your child benefits from using an inhaler or nebulizer with albuterol, formoterol, salmeterol, or levalbuterol, they likely have asthma and should be managed as if they have asthma.
Asthma is a chronic condition that requires frequent follow up to optimize control.
- Everyone on a medication to manage breathing and control wheezing should schedule routine asthma management visits when well at least every 6 months to develop a current Action Plan and adjust or refill medications as needed.
- Guidelines recommend lung function testing (spirometry) for monitoring asthma at each visit or at least after 3 or 6 months from the beginning of therapy and then every 1–2 years. We will do this at routine asthma visits for children old enough to do the testing, which is usually 4-7 years of age and up.
- Moderate asthma is defined by daily symptoms or waking up at night due to symptoms at least once a week.
- Severe asthma is defined by symptoms throughout the day despite following their treatment plan. They also report waking up at night with symptoms, even after taking treatment.
Use the following links to jump to the section or website you want to read:
Children's Mercy Allergy Resources : information and resources to help manage asthma. You'll find important information about how to recognize symptoms, avoid common triggers, and manage the onset of asthma. There are links to games and handouts for kids, videos, and more.
Asthma booklet from Children's Mercy
Using a Peak Flow Meter to help guide when to use rescue medicines
Types of Asthma Controller Medications (American Academy of Allergy and Asthma site)
Our YouTube Asthma Playlist with videos to explain asthma, how to use inhalers, and Dr Ratliff even shows how to make a QVAR breath-activated device to use with a spacer
SMART asthma management (for eligible patients) : Eligible patients are 5 years and up with moderate or severe asthma.
