Asthma Health Center

Although your child's asthma cannot be cured, you can manage the symptoms with medicines and other measures.

It's very important to treat your child's asthma. Although he or she may feel good most of the time, even mild asthma can cause changes to the airways that speed up and make worse the natural decrease in lung function that occurs as we age.¹²

Your child can expect to live a normal life by following his or her asthma action plan. Asthma symptoms that are not controlled can limit your child's activities and lower his or her quality of life.

Know the goals of treatment

By following your child's treatment plan, you can help your child meet these goals:

• Increase lung function by treating the inflammation in the lungs.
• Decrease the severity, frequency, and duration of asthma attacks by avoiding triggers.
• Treat acute attacks as they occur.
• Use quick-relief medicine less (ideally on not more than 2 days a week).
• Have a full life-the ability to participate in all daily activities, including school, exercise, and recreation-by preventing and managing symptoms.
• Sleep through the night undisturbed by asthma symptoms.

For more information, see:

Asthma: Taking Charge of Your Asthma.

Babies and small children need early treatment for asthma symptoms to prevent severe breathing problems. They may have more serious problems than adults because their bronchial tubes are smaller.

Follow your child's action plan

An asthma action plan tells you which medicines your child takes every day and how to treat asthma attacks. It may also include an asthma diary where your child records peak expiratory flow (PEF), symptoms, triggers, and quick-relief medicine used for asthma symptoms. This helps you to identify triggers that can be changed or avoided and to be aware of your child's symptoms. A plan also helps you make quick decisions about medicine and treatment. For more information, see:

Asthma: Using an Asthma Action Plan

See an example of an asthma action plan(What is a PDF document?).

Take medicines

Your child will take several types of medicines to control his or her asthma and to prevent attacks. These include:

• Oral or injected corticosteroids. These medicines may be used to get your child's asthma under control before he or she starts taking daily medicine. In the future, your child also may take oral or injected corticosteroids to treat asthma attacks.
• Inhaled corticosteroids. These are for long-term treatment of asthma. These reduce inflammation in your child's airways.
• Short-acting beta2-agonists and anticholinergics (quick-relief medicines). These medicines are used for asthma attacks. They relax the airways, allowing your child to breathe easier.

You and your child will learn how to use a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) or dry powder inhaler (DPI). An MDI delivers inhaled medicines directly to the lungs. Most doctors recommend using a spacer with an MDI. For more information, see:

Asthma: Using a Metered-Dose Inhaler.

Asthma: Using a Dry Powder Inhaler.