Medical Emergencies 8.2 Asthma
Asthma is a condition that affects the airways. During an Asthma attack the muscles around the walls of the airways tighten, become narrower and go into spasm, making breathing very difficult for the sufferer.
An Asthma sufferer will be prescribed several different types of medication. A preventer inhaler, which will have a brown, red or orange cap, this type of medication, as the name suggests helps prevent asthma attacks and a reliever inhaler that helps the sufferer deal with an actual attack by opening up the airways. Typically these relievers have blue caps.
“Asthma attacks can be triggered by allergies, stress, exercise, colds and changes in temperature”
Recognition - Difficulty in breathing, especially breathing out - Wheezy breathing - Difficulty in speaking - Coughing - Signs of anxiety and distress - Hypoxia and cyanosis
Treatment - Assist the child into the most comfortable position to help them breathe easier - Ask the child to take one or two puffs from their own reliever inhaler - Calm and reassure the child - Encourage the child to take slow steady breaths - Monitor the child’s recovery rate, you should see an improvement in a few minutes - If there is no improvement, the child is getting worse, or if this the casualty’s first attack, immediately call 999/112 for an ambulance
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