Never be afraid of asking your doctor or asthma nurse lots of questions. It’s the best way to learn about managing asthma and if you understand your asthma you will be better able to control it. Write a list of questions before you see your doctor or asthma nurse, or print the list below and take it to your next appointment.
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What is the overall severity of my child’s asthma?
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How do I recognise a severe asthma attack and what do I do if this happens?
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What medications does my child need to take for asthma? What dosage? (how many puffs) and how often should it be taken?
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What is the difference between reliever, preventer, symptom controller or combination medications used to treat asthma?
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How should I give the medication to my child? Can you show us how to use the spacer correctly?
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How do I use the inhaler? Can you check that the technique is correct?
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Can I have a written Asthma Action Plan that tells me what medications my child needs to take regularly; how to recognise if their asthma is getting worse; what to do if this happens and how to get help quickly? Can you go through it with us so we understand it?
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What things might trigger my child’s asthma?
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(If exercise is a trigger) How can I prevent and manage exercise-induced asthma, so that we can keep my child as active as possible?
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When do we need to come back to have my child’s asthma reviewed?