Glossary

Italicized words are examples of how to use the definition in a sentence.

Allergy: An uncommon response to certain things, for example pollen, dust, or food.
Rosa has allergies when she is around flowers.

Allergic Triggers: things that set off an asthma attack in people who have allergies to those triggers.
Mold is an allergic trigger for Francesca. When Francesca is around mold she gets an asthma attack.

Non-Allergic Triggers: things set off an asthma attack in anyone with asthma.
Even though Brian does not have asthma, he gets allergies when he is around dust because dust is a non-allergic trigger.

Alternative Medicine: Medicine not prescribed by a doctor. Alternative medicine is also known as cultural remedies, herbal remedies, or home remedies.
Tea is a type of alternative medicine for asthma.

Asthma: Is a chronic disease of the lungs that cause people to have trouble breathing.
People with asthma have inflammation in the airways.

Asthma Action Plan: A written set of instructions your child’s doctor gives to you telling you what to do when your child’s is feeling well (has no asthma symptoms), not well (is coughing or wheezing), or is very sick (is having a very difficult time breathing).
Flor uses the Asthma Action Plan to help control her child’s asthma.

Asthma Attack: A sudden onset of asthma symptoms (coughing, wheezing, and overall difficulty breathing).
When Mercedes has an asthma attack she coughs and has difficulty breathing.

Asthma Episode: See Asthma Attack.

Bronchodilator: See Quick Relief Medicine.

Bronchospasm: Sudden muscle tightening of the airways.
A Bronchospasm makes it even harder for air to move into the lungs.

Controller Medicine: Medicine you take everyday to prevent asthma symptoms.
Gloria takes her controller medicine everyday to prevent asthma symptoms.

Chronic: A disease that stays with you for a long time and for which there is no cure.
Asthma is a chronic disease.

Corticosteroids: A safe medicine used to control and prevent asthma attacks. Not the same as anabolic steroids used by body builders and athletes.
Natasha takes corticosteroids everyday to help control her asthma symptoms.

Diagnosis: A doctor’s recognition of a disease through outward signs, symptoms, or tests.
After several tests Dr. Matiz gave Sally an asthma diagnosis.

Edema: See Swelling.

Inflammation: Your body’s response to injury, infection, or irritation.
When people have an asthma attack they get inflammation of the lungs.

Irritant: Something that can hurt you and make you sick; something that can cause an inflammatory response.
Strong smelling chemicals like Bleach are irritants for our airways and can cause inflammation.

Metered Dose Inhaler: A device used to spray the correct amount of medication directly to the lungs. It is also known as the pump.
Nerida uses a metered dose inhaler to take her asthma medication.

Mucus: The sticky fluid that covers the inside of the airways.
When you have a cold or stuffy nose, mucus builds up in the airways making it difficult to breathe.

Nebulizer: A medicine used for very small children who sometimes have a difficult time with the pump or spacer. Helps get more medicine into the lungs.
Katherine uses a nebulizer to help her take her asthma medication.

Peak Flow Meter: A device used to measure how much air moves in and out of your lungs.
A low Peak Flow value means you’re not breathing well.

Pollutants: Substances that contaminate the air, water or soil. Pollutants can be dangerous to human health.
The smoke that comes out of cars is a type of pollutant.

Pump: See Meter Dosed Inhaler.

Quick Relief Medicine: Medicine taken after asthma symptoms have started. Also know as Rescue Medicine or Bronchodilator.
Jenny takes her Quick Relief Medicine when she begins wheezing or feels an asthma attack coming on.

Spasm: Sudden muscle tightening.
Oftentimes when Sreelata goes swimming, she gets a spasm in her leg muscle and briefly has to stop swimming.

Spacer: A plastic tube that holds the medicine from the “pump” and makes it easier for the children to breathe in the medicine.
Alexandra had a difficult time using the pump by itself and uses a spacer with the pump to help her get more medicine into her lungs.

Symptom: Something you can look for and listen for to tell you if your child might have certain disease or disorder.
Wheezing is a symptom of an Asthma Attack.

Swelling: An increase in size of body tissues.
Swelling in the walls of the airways makes it difficult for air to move into lungs.

Triggers: Things that bring on an asthma attack or asthma episode.
Cigarette Smoke is a common asthma trigger.

Wheezing: Whistling sound coming from the chest when someone is having trouble breathing.
Wheezing is a symptom of asthma.