Children will learn to recognize when an attack may be coming. Here are some of the most common signs:
- A change in breathing pattern
- A runny, stuffy nose
- A cough
- Feeling or looking tired
- An itchy, scratchy throat
- Headache
- Bad mood
- Difficulty sleeping
- Stomachache
These are the signs of a more serious attack:
- The child has great trouble breathing. The chest sinks in, and the stomach pushes out quickly as the child strains to breathe.
- The child can't talk.
- The child finds it hard to walk or to eat.
- Lips or fingers may look blue.
- Rescue medication doesn't improve the child's breathing within 15 minutes.
- A dose of rescue medication works at first, but the
asthma comes back in less than 24 hours. - The readings of the
peak flow meter stays in the red zone after using rescue medications.
