"Carla started coughing and spluttering constantly. At first we though it was a
flu. During the night, it got increasingly worse and then within minutes, she was
choking for air. She was terribly frightened at what was occurring and I was
panicking too much to reassure her. While we were taking her to hospital I
thought she was going die. Luckily, they knew what to do. I was stunned when
they told me she had asthma. 'But Carla, doesn’t have asthma!'”
This is how one parent described her daughter’s first asthma attack. As parents,
you go through an asthma attack feeling like terrified bystanders, desperate to
do something, but feeling unable to help your child.
Breath is life. Yet across the world there is an asthma epidemic. It affects an
estimated 30% of all children in Australia and New Zealand. In most other
developed countries the figure is around 20%, with 5 million children in the US
alone. Asthma is the most common chronic condition for children. It is the
largest cause of lost days at school and is the most common reason for visits to
the doctor.
An asthma attack is a frightening experience for all. Parents have pressing
concerns: Why did this happen? Is it my fault? How can I help? This section will
help provide answers to some of your questions. Read, the As You Grow section for specific advice for each age group.
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Steps parents of asthmatic children should take are:
be informed about asthma
use an Asthma Management Plan
recognise signs of asthma
be able to cope in an acute attack
understand how to use asthma medication correctly |
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