Having a plan makes almost anything easier, even asthma.
An asthma action plan is a set of instructions your doctor will give to you and your family. It will tell you how to keep your asthma under control and prevent asthma flare-ups (sometimes called asthma "attacks"). It will also tell you what to do if a flare-up happens.
An asthma action plan helps you keep your asthma under control. And when your asthma is controlled, breathing problems won't keep you from playing sports, having fun, and doing whatever you want to do.
What's in the Asthma Action Plan?
Many kids with asthma need to take medicine even when they feel good. Long-term control medicine (also called controller or maintenance medicine) is taken regularly. If you need it, your plan will say how much of it to take, and when. Fast-acting or "rescue" medicine is what you need to take when you have a flare-up.
Some things — like smoke, pollen, and pet dander — can make asthma symptoms worse and cause a flare-up. These things are called triggers. Your plan will tell you what your triggers are.
Because each kid's asthma is different, each plan is different. Here's some other stuff that might be in your plan:
You may need your mom, dad, or another adult to help you follow the plan. Talk with your parents about which parts of the plan you can handle by yourself and when you'll need to ask for help.
Your mom or dad may give a copy of the action plan to your school nurse, your teacher, and anyone else who takes care of you. You should probably keep a copy of it with you too. Following this plan will help keep you in action!
Reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD
Date Reviewed: May 9, 2017
