5 Tips for Managing Your Child's Asthma

If your child was recently diagnosed with asthma, you might feel scared and helpless. The thought of your child struggling to breathe is definitely terrifying. However, with the proper lifestyle changes and medicine, it is possible for your child to still live a normal and healthy life. Here are five helpful tips for managing your child's asthma:

Control Your Pets

If you have cats or dogs in the house, you have to be wary of pet dander. If your child comes in contact with the dander, it can aggravate their asthma. Do not let your pets in any of your bedrooms and keep them off the furniture. It is also a good idea to vacuum and dust more frequently if you have furry family members in the house.

Help Your Child Maintain a Healthy Weight

Obesity can make asthma symptoms worse, so it is very important to keep your child at a healthy weight. Keep junk food out of the house and encourage your child to eat more nutritious foods, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and chicken.

Be Careful With Exercise

Although exercise is beneficial for your child, you still have to be cautious with it. For example, your child should avoid doing physical activities outdoors when it is humid or very cold. Also, ask your child's doctor if they should use an inhaler before exercising.

Stop Smoking

If you are currently a smoker, quitting the habit won't just benefit your health; it will also benefit your child's. Secondhand smoke is a common asthma trigger and can make your child feel much worse. Quitting smoking cold turkey is really tough, so talk to your doctor about getting nicotine patches or gum.

Help Your Child Manage His Emotions

When your child gets upset, angry or overly excited, it may trigger his asthma symptoms. While you can't always prevent your child from feeling a certain way, you can help him manage these emotions in healthy ways. The next time becomes upset, for example, tell him to take a few slow, deep breaths. This will calm him down and prevent his asthma symptoms from flaring up.

Raising a child with asthma is not always easy, but it can be done. If you follow these helpful tips, you can help your child live a perfectly normal life. You should also make sure your child has his asthma medication with him at all times. For more information on maintenance treatment of asthma, contact your child's pediatrician.