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he winter months can be stressful for children with asthma, as well as for their families. Kids with asthma have lungs that react to certain triggers, causing their airways to tighten. Cold air and respiratory viruses are two frequent causes of asthma problems in winter. There are ways to keep your child healthier and safer during this troublesome time of the year. The success of any effective asthma management plan is based on key factors including regular asthma care with your asthma healthcare provider, control of factors that may affect asthma, long-term management with controller medications and knowing what to do when asthma becomes a problem.
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Take Preventative Asthma Medications Many children with asthma are required to take daily medications to keep the inflam- mation in their lungs controlled. Kids with asthma are prescribed preventative medi- cations for two important reasons: to keep them safe with the goal of preventing a serious asthma attack and to decrease the chance of permanent damage occurring in the lungs from untreated asthma. The most common group of medications is inhaled corticosteroids, which are usually given by an aerosolized inhaler (puffer) or dry powder inhaler. Montelukast is another asthma medication some children take that is given in a pill or granule form. Your child’s asthma provider should
work with you to come up with the right treatment plan. Many families do not real- ize that preventative medications can take several days to a couple of weeks after your child starts taking them to be helpful. For this reason, regular use of controller medicines is important. Using controller
Ready, Set, Grow
medications only when your child is hav- ing flare-ups may not be helpful.
Minimize the Chance of Illness Encourage frequent hand washing. Germs causing respiratory illnesses may be picked up from any surface touched by other people. Common places to pick up germs are door handles, light switches, cellphones and desks. Germs can enter our bodies via our hands when we touch our eyes or mouth. The germs then travel to the nose where they cause illness. Most of us touch our mouth or eyes more frequently then we realize. Ridding hands of germs by washing regularly with soap and water for 20 seconds is one of the best ways to prevent colds and the flu. Use of alcohol-based antiseptics is helpful when no soap and water are available. Use a tissue to cover your cough. If a tissue is not available, sneeze or cough into your upper sleeve or elbow. Germs mixed in water droplets are released into the air when infected people sneeze or cough. Germs can also be present on hands when ill people use their hands to cover their mouths. Teach your family members to cover their mouths and noses with a tissue when they cough or sneeze. Clean and disinfect surfaces touched
frequently at home, school or work, especially when people are ill. Place used tissues immediately into the trash. Do not share food or drinks with others, and avoid close contact with people who are known to be ill.
Protect Your Child With the Flu Vaccine The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that most chil- dren six months and older receive the
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