Control Asthma Now! FAQs

FAQs
The more you know about asthma, the better equipped you will be to control your child's asthma. Here are some common questions about asthma and allergies that may help you.
	Click on your question, and you will be taken to the answer.

Does my child have asthma?
The diagnosis of asthma is determined by symptoms, medical history, a breathing test (spirometry) family history, allergies, and response to asthma treatment and is diagnosed by a doctor.

Will my child outgrow asthma?
As some children get older their asthma symptoms disappear and others will continue to have symptoms. Asthma symptoms depend on what triggers they encounter in the future. Generally the more triggers you are exposed to, the more chances you have of asthma symptoms. You carry the genetic makeup for asthma, and although symptoms may seen to disappear, asthma symptoms may come back in adulthood.

When should I stop taking my medications?
Talk to your usual physician about adjusting the dose or when he/she wants you to use the medication. Stopping your controller medications too soon may cause your airway inflammation to return. A written action plan is a helpful tool that tells you when you need to use your medication and how much to use.

I gag on the medicine when I take it.
People with a strong gag reflex or patients that do not like the taste of their medications in their mouth, should talk to their doctor about using spacers with MDI’s and changing from a Diskus to a Turbuhaler.

When I use my Turbuhaler, I don’t think that I am getting anything.
The amount of medication that comes out of this device is very small. Proper device technique is very important. Make sure that your device is not empty, expired or broken. Monitoring your asthma symptoms and asthma control ultimately decide how this medication is working for you. Talk to the doctor about this concern.

How do I know when my child is old enough NOT to use a spacer with his puffer?
Everyone should use a spacer with a Metered Dose Inhaler (MDI) devise, regardless of age. You get much more medication in your lungs using a spacer. If your child is 6 years and older, other medication devices could be considered like dry powder inhalers. Device technique should be reviewed with a healthcare professional at least once a year.

My child has RSV, is that asthma?
No, it is the name of a common Respiratory virus. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a contagious virus that is spread through the air from one person to another, often from coughing, sneezing and from hands. RSV is a common cause of colds in winter and early spring and can affect all ages. Common symptoms may look like a cold, fever, runny stuffy nose, red eyes, sore throat/ears and other cold symptoms. Symptoms may get worse and include wheezing, SOB and increased respiratory rate, which may look like asthma symptoms, but is not asthma.

Should I have a humidifier in my child’s room?
If you use a humidifier, it is important to monitor the humidity level and keep the level below 50%. Damp homes are bad for lung health and are a source for mold, bacteria and dust mites. A hygrometer is a gauge that measures the humidity in your home and can be bought from most hardware stores. Having a humidifier in the bedroom does not help asthma symptoms. Avoiding your asthma triggers and proper medication do help control asthma.

Should I use a HEPA filter?
It is still unclear whether High Efficiency Particulate air filters (HEPA) are helpful to asthma and reducing allergy symptoms. Having a filter is a personal choice. Good housekeeping is very important to remove indoor and outdoor particles that can irritate the lungs. Regular vacuuming, dusting and eliminating clutter, especially in the bedroom, helps eliminate exposure to triggers.

Should I use the Inhaled corticosteroid first or the short acting bronchodilator first?
Studies show that it does not matter which one you use first. You do not get more corticosteroid in the lungs if you use the short acting bronchodilator (often blue) one first. If your child is having asthma symptoms such as coughing, you need to give them their "blue" puffer to provide relief from the asthma symptoms and their inhaled corticosteroid to reduce the swelling.

My child is coughing, should I give him cough syrup?
No, cough medicine is not recommended for children with asthma symptoms such as cough. Coughing is a symptom of poorly controlled asthma. Suppressing the cough can cause the mucous that is produced during an asthma attack, not be coughed out of the lungs and creating a place where bacteria can grow which can increase the likelihood of bacterial pneumonia. Decongestants are OK.

Is there a cure for asthma?
No, not yet, but it can usually be controlled very well by avoiding asthma triggers and by using medications.

Can my child lead a normal life with asthma?
With proper treatment and management, your child's asthma can be managed and controlled . Asthma should not prevent them from doing what they want. If it does, talk to your doctor about your child's treatment. For example, Gary Roberts, a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey player, is able to participate in the sport he loves even though he has asthma.

Do children outgrow asthma?
Asthma symptoms may disappear in adolescence, but can come back in adulthood. By managing asthma well in childhood, there may be a greater chance that it doesn't return in adulthood. The more your environment is controlled, the better the chances are that the symptoms of asthma will stay away. However, the genetic tendency to have asthma remains.

Is asthma an allergy?
Asthma and allergies are not the same. There are a lot of people with asthma who don't have allergies, although asthma symptoms are commonly triggered by allergic reactions to allergens such as pollen and dust mites.

Can laughing or crying be triggers for asthma?
If laughter or crying cause symptoms, there is a good chance that your child's asthma is not well controlled. Once your child's asthma is controlled properly, laughter or crying generally should not trigger asthma symptoms.

Why does asthma seem to bother my child more at night?
Some factors that occur during the night might lead to more asthma symptoms. We have natural hormones in the body (similar to certain asthma medications) that are normally at lower levels during the night, which make it more likely to have asthma symptoms. Your child may also be inhaling dust mite allergens from your bedding (pillows, blanket and mattress) while sleeping. When we lie down, there is also extra gravity on the chest which can push on your lungs. However, if your child has regular asthma symptoms at night, it is possible that the asthma is not being controlled properly and you should discuss this with your doctor.

Can my child exercise with asthma?
Yes. Exercise is as important for people with asthma as it is for everyone else. There are many Olympic athletes who have well-controlled asthma, enabling them to participate in sports. Exercise is a non-inflammatory trigger. The key to exercise is to control asthma with trigger avoidance and effective medication. If your child's ability to exercise is limited because of asthma, the asthma is probably not well controlled and you should see the doctor.

Can giving steroids daily to my child by harmful?
No. The steroids used to treat asthma are NOT the same steroids used by some athletes to build muscles. Most parents share this concern, but over time, you and your doctor will determine the lowest amount of medication needed to best control your child's asthma. Too much medication is unnecessary, but too little means uncontrolled inflammation, which is unhealthy. Click here to read an article on the "Risk of Not Treating Asthma".

Can my child become addicted to asthma medications?
No. Asthma medications are NOT ADDICTIVE and you don't have to keep taking more medication to get the same effect. However, the opposite may be true. If your child's asthma is not well-controlled, they may need more medication in the future because of permanent damage to the lungs.

Do steroids have serious side effects?
Asthma medications are generally very safe when used as instructed by the doctor. The lowest dose of medications will be determined by the doctor in order to maintain good asthma control. The potential benefits of medications for asthma, in general, far outweigh any possible risks.

Allergy-Related Questions
The following allergy related questions were answered by Dr. Vander Leek, Allergist/Immunologist in private practice in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Can allergies worsen asthma?
Definitely! If you are continuously exposed to one of your allergic triggers, your asthma will be more severe, and you will likely require more medications to control your symptoms. Many people who are exposed to a pet or other allergen continuously will not experience the immediate symptoms (for example hay fever, wheezing), but this does not mean that they are not allergic. This is because constant exposure will contribute to inflammation in the airways of your lungs, and inflammation causes asthma symptoms. This constant exposure also makes it more likely for you to experience more severe symptoms when you are exposed to other triggers (an additive effect). Intermittent exposure to allergic triggers can cause immediate, and occasionally severe asthma symptoms. All allergic triggers that have been identified should be avoided, so that your asthma is milder and easier to control on less medications.

Can certain foods trigger asthma symptoms?
You bet. Someone who has an allergy to a food (including dairy products), and also has asthma, can develop immediate worsening of asthma symptoms during an allergic reaction to that food. On the other hand, it would be extremely unlikely for food allergies to cause chronic or persistent asthma symptoms. An assessment by a trained allergist is necessary to confirm or rule out any concerns about allergy triggers, including food allergy. A food allergy can be life threatening, especially if someone also has asthma.

What is allergy testing?
Allergy testing is used to identify allergic triggers that may be worsening allergic conditions including asthma, hay fever, and food allergies. Once allergic triggers are identified, steps can be taken to reduce exposure, and help to reduce the severity of symptoms. Most allergists will use a prick skin test to identify allergic triggers, a procedure in which a small drop of allergenic extract is placed on the forearm or back, and the surface of the skin is pricked through the drop. A small hive will appear at the site of a positive test within twenty minutes.




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