Be Prepared: Make a Plan

The second step to taking control of your child’s asthma is to be prepared. This means:

1. Keep track of your child’s asthma symptoms. Keeping track of your child’s asthma symptoms will

   • allow your doctor to prescribe the best medicine for your child.
   • tell you and your doctor which medications and remedies are helping your child’s asthma.

2. Make sure your child takes his or her medication. The medicine your doctor gives to your child will help control your child’s asthma. To avoid more asthma attacks it is important that your child take his or her medicine as directed by your doctor.

3. Get an Asthma Action Plan from your doctor. The Asthma Action Plan will tell you what medicine your child needs to take and how often. It will tell you what to do when your child has no asthma symptoms, when your child has a small asthma attack and when your child has a big asthma attack.

4. Talk to your child’s doctor about your child’s asthma. Be prepared for your visits to the doctor. Time is short and the more you can stay focused on YOUR questions, the better for you, your child, and the doctor.