Asthma Attacks Are Scary But ControllableThe seriousness of asthma attacks cannot be disputed - because there is nothing like the helplessness a parent feels when watching their child struggle to catch a breath. I learned early from talking to an acquaintance who had already raised a child with asthma that asthma attacks can and must be controlled. We became known as 'frequent fliers' at the pediatrician's office because we were there nearly every time our son experienced asthma or allergy symptoms (which often sent him into respiratory distress). The benefit? We learned:
I used to live in fear, though. If he had a cold or runny nose, I was up 6 or 8 times a night to check on him. I'd hold my ear to his chest while he slept to see if I heard any wheezing or odd sounds. The best advice this friend ever gave me? "Now you understand what you must do for him, and you have everything you need at home to take care of him if he goes into an attack. Don't panic." Our pediatricians were also fantastic during those scary days when the words asthma attacks were part of our daily vocabulary. On one of our frequent visits, one doctor could see my anxiety. He reassured me by more or less saying: You will know when he's struggling to breathe. He will cough, wake up, wheeze, etc. Learn his symptoms and you will see it coming in time to treat it. If we work on his maintenance needs and get the asthma under control, he will stop having symptoms so frequently. What?!? There would be a day when I wouldn't have to live under constant stress that worrying about asthma brought? I couldn't imagine it. But that day did come, and today asthma attacks are rarely seen in our house. We still see the doctors regularly for check-ups, but not as frequently as we once did. The First Asthma Attacks - We Didn't Know What They Were Learning that our son has asthma was a surprise to us. But looking back, the signs had been there... ...we just hadn't recognized them. We would hear the coughing and wheezing and call the doctor (always at night or on a holiday, of course!). By the time we arrived at the ER, the symptoms had sometimes lessened, sometimes not. Usually, our son is given a few breathing treatments and held for observation. They won't release him until his oxygen levels are good and his breathing is under control. What To Do
Asthma attacks can be fatal. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. Asthmatic children must always have a treatment plan and be under the care of a doctor familiar with their diagnosis, even if they are symptom-free for a while. Remember, blue is bad. Really bad. If you see these signs during an asthma attack, get to the ER right away:
The goal is to get the child's asthma under control, and keep it under control, so you don't have to worry about flare-ups like these.
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