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



For those living with asthma, this simple task can

be a real pain. It’s only more frightening for a child,

gasping for a breath and ﬁnding none. The number

of Americans living with asthma grows each year. It’s

the most common chronic illness for children and

teens, accounting for more than 14 million missed

school days each year.

But you can help. This Parents/Guardians Guide

to TEENS ON COURSE™: It’s All About Asthma

contains some key facts, stats and plans of action

to help your teen face the challenges of asthma and

breathe freely.



DISCLAIMER. This book provides general information about asthma and related

issues. The information does not constitute medical advice and is not intended to be

used for the diagnosis or treatment of a health problem or as a substitute for consulting

with a licensed health professional. Consult with a qualiﬁed physician or health care

practitioner to discuss speciﬁc individual issues or health needs and to professionally

address personal medical concerns.

Table of ConTenTs

Understanding Asthma

Asthma by the Numbers

It’s Classiﬁed: Asthma Types

The Trouble with Triggers

12)

Making Matters Worse: Irritants

14)

Easing the Fears

16)

Choke, Gasp, Gag: Smoking and Asthma

17)

Medicines to the Rescue

20)

The Puﬀ of Dreams: Inhalers and Spacers

24)

Go with the Flow: Peak Flow Meters

26)

Peak Flow Diary

27)

Step It Up: Fitness and Asthma

29)

And Action! Your Teen’s Asthma Action Plan

30)

Asthma Action Plan

Notes

Resources

UNDERSTANDING

asthma

If your teen has asthma and you’re in the early stages of learning how

to deal with it, the book TEENS ON COURSE™: It’s All about Asthma

can help both of you come to terms with the disease. This book will help

you learn how to help your child. In order to do that, you ﬁrst have to

understand what asthma is and what it isn’t.

WHAT IT IS





When the air passages to and from the lungs get inﬂamed, they become

narrow and air has a hard time moving in and out.



Symptoms include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest

tightness.



Experts think the environment, genetics and immune system factors

combine to make the oxygen-carrying bronchial tubes inﬂamed. This can

lead to asthma and episodes.



Eﬀective short-term relief and long-term control treatments for asthma

include:

• Steroids and anti-inﬂammatory medicines

• Bronchodilators

• Inhalers

•

Nebulizers

WHAT IT ISN’T



While some children do grow up and ﬁnd their asthma symptoms lessen

greatly or go away altogether, many never completely outgrow it. For

others it may come back later in life, brought on by smoking, a virus or

exposure to toxic vapors.



In fact, many people start having asthma symptoms as grownups. Even

if they’ve had no symptoms as a child, an adult can get the breathing

disorder.



Nope. Exercise is just as important for people with asthma as it is for

those without it. With care and the right prep, those with asthma can

get the same beneﬁts from exercising as everyone else. See the section

ahead on ﬁtness and asthma.



Not all asthma episodes include wheezing. Likewise, not all wheezing

means someone has asthma. Many people with asthma don’t wheeze at

all. Sometimes there’s not enough air getting through the passageway to

even make a wheeze.

American Lung Association: Asthma:

lung.org/lung-disease/asthma

ASTHMA

BY THE NUMBERS



Average number of people in the U.S. with asthma.



Average number of children with asthma in the U.S.



Percent of children with asthma who also have allergies.



Average yearly cost of asthma in the U.S. due to medical expenses, missed

school and work days.



Average number of lost school days by children with asthma.



Average number of deaths in the U.S. from asthma per year. Worldwide that

number goes up to about 250,000. Asthma deaths are rare among children.

The number of deaths goes up with age.

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of

America: Asthma Facts and Figures

aafa.org/page/asthma-facts.aspx

IT’S CLASSIFIED:

ASTHMA TYPES

There are diﬀerent types of asthma, brought on by diﬀerent conditions:

ALLERGIC ASTHMA

Allergens can irritate people with allergies and cause harmful reactions. Even

everyday things like dust, animal dander, plant pollen and mold spores can

cause asthma ﬂare-ups. A doctor can run tests to determine what objects your

teen may be allergic to.



Think your child may have allergies? Here

are some common symptoms to watch for:

• Itchy, watery eyes

• Sneezing

• Stuﬀy or runny nose

• Headache

•

Dark circles under the eyes

Allergies don’t cause asthma

, but the two conditions often go hand in hand.

Children with allergies are more likely to have asthma than those who don’t. A

family history of allergies or asthma can also make a child more likely to have

these conditions.

SEASONAL ASTHMA

Changes in the weather can trigger an asthma attack. Microscopic pollen or

mold in the air during certain times of the year can aﬀect people with seasonal

asthma. They may be sensitive to the cold air in winter or heat and humidity of

summer. Taking special asthma meds can prevent allergies and attacks. Have

your teen take them at the start of and all during the season that most aﬀects

him or her, as the doctor prescribes.

NON–ALLERGIC ASTHMA

Your teen may suﬀer the same symptoms as allergic asthma but instead, he or

she is sensitive to other things, such as:

• Smoke

• Emotional stress

• Changes in the weather

•

Breathing infections

The doctor can run tests to ﬁnd out what

triggers your teen’s asthma. Have your teen

help by tracking the things that cause the

symptoms. He or she can make a list and keep

a chart. Together you can ﬁgure out what’s

causing the problem.



Black children are two times more likely to have asthma than white children.

EXERCISE–INDUCED ASTHMA

Maybe it’s exercise that brings on

asthma symptoms in your teen.

When he or she gets active, changes

in temperature and humidity can

trigger attacks. The cold air that

enters airways during exercise

irritates the sensitive tubes and

brings on wheezing and breathing

diﬃculty.

NOCTURNAL ASTHMA

People with this type of asthma feel

the symptoms worsen late in the day.

The hormones our bodies make during

the day don’t always protect against

asthma at night. Other factors that

can make asthma symptoms worse at

night:

A runny nose or sinus infection

Acid reﬂux from the stomach

into the esophagus

•

Allergens in the bedroom

• A late reaction to something

earlier exposed to

• Cool nighttime air

If your teen is having more asthma

symptoms at night than during the day,

tell the doctor. He or she can adjust

the meds and get your teen sleeping

better.

WebMD: Asthma Types and Symptoms:

webmd.com/asthma/guide/asthma-symptoms-types



triggers

AND SO IT BEGINS

One minute your teen is doing just ﬁne.

The next, he’s coughing and gasping for

air. Something has caused inﬂammation

in the airways leading to his lungs,

bringing on asthma symptoms. We call

these things triggers. These triggers are

usually harmless to most people, but

those with asthma can ﬁnd themselves

coughing, wheezing and panting for air

when they come in contact.

Knowing which ones bother your teen

can help him or her steer clear of them

and ward oﬀ an asthma episode.

Dust mite



• Allergens like pollen and mold

• Pollutants in the air

• Lung infections, like colds or ﬂu

•

Weather conditions

• Exercise

• Dust and dust mites

• Animals

• Foods

•

Medicines

• Acid reﬂux

Triggers are diﬀerent for diﬀerent people. Sometimes they only cause problems

during certain seasons, like pollen and mold in spring or cold air in winter. A child

may even outgrow these triggers as he or she grows up.



Asthma often runs in families. If one or both parents have asthma, it’s more

likely that their children will have it too.

NOT SO COMMON TRIGGERS

For people with asthma—both children and a

dults—life is more of a challenge. Not

only are there everyday triggers to watch out for, but also some ones you may not

think about often enough.

• Car exhaust

• Fireworks

• Flour

• Gas ovens and appliances

•

Candles

• Printer ink

•

Plastic made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

MANAGING YOUR TEEN’S ASTHMA TRIGGERS

You may not have known this, but the sad reality of asthma is that there is no

cure. But it can be managed. Taking each day one at a time and ﬁguring out how to

ease the symptoms while remaining active is the key. That means helping your child

stay away from the triggers. Not managing triggers can mean more ﬂare-ups and

episodes, as well as damaged lung function.



Follow these tips to help keep the triggers away that cause asthma

episodes in your teen:

• Take extra care of colds and infections

•

Keep your teen inside on days of high pollen and mold counts

• Don’t make foods that trigger asthma

• Clean the house of all mold

• Get rid of smoke, strong odors and sprays

• Control your pet’s dander

• Get rid of all cockroaches and pests

• Close windows and use the air conditioning

• Make sure your teen covers his/her nose and mouth when

going outside on cold days

• Teach your teen how to pace exercise and physical activities

• Replace feather pillows with ones made from man-made ﬁbers

Work with your doctor to help ﬁgure out what asthma triggers your teen

has. Keeping a Trigger Diary can help your teen track the things that

bring on asthma symptoms and help him/her learn how to stay away

from them. Share these results with the doctor in order to create an

asthma action plan.



DATE TIME TRIGGER

(i.e., pet

hair, cold

weather)

REACTION LENGTH OF

REACTION

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

Common Asthma Triggers:

cdc.gov/asthma/triggers.html

IRRITANTS



IRRITANTS

Irritants aren’t the same as triggers. They aren’t things your child may be allergic to.

Instead, they’re things that can bother airways and cause asthma symptoms. They

irritate the already inﬂamed airways and make breathing harder.



• Air pollution

• Strong smells

• Weather changes

• The ﬂu

• Acute bronchitis

• Pneumonia

•

Cigarette smoke

 Get your child a ﬂu shot each year in the early fall. Contact your

health care professional at the ﬁrst sign of the ﬂu in your child.

A pneumonia shot can protect your teen from many of the causes of this

disease for several years.



Extremely dry, wet or windy weather conditions can make asthma worse.

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America:

What Causes or Triggers Asthma?:

aafa.org/asthma-triggers-causes/

EASING THE FEARS

The challenges of living with asthma can be pretty scary. But the more you know,

the more you can help in calming those fears.

WHAT IS AN ASTHMA EPISODE?

It’s a series of events that end up with narrowed airways that make it hard to breathe:

Swelling of the airway lining

• Tightening of the muscle

•

More mucus in the airway

These make breathing diﬃcult and labored, and result in the wheezing sound known

all too well to people with asthma.

FIGHT THE FEAR

A new diagnosis of asthma in anyone means a lot of fear, uncertainty and no doubt

many questions. Easing your own fears and concerns as a parent about what to

expect is the ﬁrst step. You most likely have a lot of questions, and that’s natural.

Here are a few of the common questions with simple straightforward answers.

Q: CAN MY CHILD LIVE A NORMAL LIFE?

A: Of course. With the right medical care and medication plan, watching out for

triggers and staying away from irritants, your child can easily lead a normal and

active life.

Q: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE MY CHILD’S ASTHMA “UNDER CONTROL”?

A: Having asthma under control means no coughing, no shortness of breath,

no wheezing, and no chest tightness. It means your child doesn’t wake up with

symptoms in the middle of the night, and can participate in sports, exercise and

play outdoors. It means no episodes with trips to the hospital or doctor’s oﬃce, and

no missed school days. It means normal or near normal lung function. And it’s all

possible for children with asthma.

Q: WILL MY CHILD OUTGROW THE ASTHMA?

A: It’s not possible to say how your child will grow and develop. Best case: symptoms

may disappear over time, even though they may reappear later in life. Worst case:

asthma symptoms may get worse.

Q: HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR MY CHILD TO TAKE HER MEDICATION?

A: Your health care team will prescribe daily controller medications. It’s important

for your child to follow those instructions, even if she feels ﬁne and has no symptoms.

These meds will keep the airways from becoming inﬂamed, which can lead to an

asthma episode.

•

Q: MY TEEN DOESN’T LIKE TO TAKE HER MEDICATION. WHAT CAN I DO TO

MAKE THAT EASIER?

A: Be honest upfront and help her adjust to having a long-term illness. She’ll need

to learn how to care for herself. The more you involve her and make her aware of

the process, the more responsible she’ll be about taking her meds on schedule as

she gets older.

Q: FRANKLY, MY CHILD’S ASTHMA NEEDS ARE STRESSING ME OUT!

WHAT CAN I DO?

A: First, see to your own sleep and nutrition needs to make sure you have the energy

to help your child. Find support groups and other parents in the same situation and

learn from them. The more you know about asthma, the better you can deal with it.

So learn as much as you can and you’ll be better prepared to deal with the emotions

that ﬂare up when asthma episodes do as well.

Q: WHAT CAN MY CHILD DO ABOUT ASTHMA FLARE-UPS AT SCHOOL?

A: First, make sure you’ve talked with your son or daughter about what might

happen at school. Make sure he or she has taken the daily medicine and knows how

to use the inhaler and peak ﬂow meter. Make sure the school staﬀ knows about your

teen’s condition and how to help manage it. They should know:

• How severe the condition is

• What your child’s triggers are

• What meds your child takes and how to giv

e them

• How to use the inhaler and peak ﬂow monitor

• What to do in case of an episode

•

Emergency contact info

Work with your t

een to write the steps for managing the condition in his or her

asthma action plan. Give the info to all school oﬃcials who care for your child. Meet

with the school oﬃcials from time to time and ensure they know about the action

plan and the best ways of dealing with an asthma episode.



Diesel exhaust fumes can make asthma symptoms worse. The

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a Clean School

Bus Program that helps reduce pollution from school buses.

KidsHealth: Asthma and Teens:

kidshealth.org/en/teens/center/asthma-center.html

CHOKE, GASP, GAG

SMOKING & ASTHMA

FIRSTHAND SMOKE

If your child is a teen, he or she has already come into contact with

smokers and smoke. Maybe it’s their friends or their relatives. The simple

truth is: when you have asthma, smoking makes it much worse.

Let your child know what smoking does to a person with asthma:

• It cancels out how well controller medicine works.

• It can make you have to use rescue medicine more often.

• It can make you cough at night more and aﬀect sleep.

•

It can get in the way of being able to exercise and play sports.

• It can send you to the emergency room with a severe asthma

episode.

If your child smokes, get him or her to quit. Asthma or not, smoking is

terrible for one’s health.

SECONDHAND SMOKE

For people with asthma, just being around cigarette smoke can inﬂame

airways and trigger an episode. Don’t allow your child to hang out with

anyone who smokes. Ask your friends and relatives who smoke to not do

it around your child. They’ll understand and respect your wishes for the

health of your child.

TeensHealth: Smoking and Asthma:

kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/tobacco/

smoking_asthma.html#

MEDIC NES T THE RESCUE

THE TWO TYPES

When it comes to asthma, there are two types of medications: long-term

control and quick-relief medications.

Long-term control medications:

These are taken daily to control and prevent asthma symptoms.

Quick-relief medications:

These treat asthma episodes. They quickly relieve symptoms and are

taken when needed.

Corticosteroids taken through an inhaler are eﬀective anti-inﬂammatory

medications for controlling asthma. These are safe and can improve

asthma control and make lung function normal again.

If asthma is triggered by allergens that can’t be avoided, you may need to

consider immunotherapy or allergy shots. For symptoms occurring three

days a week and more than two nights a month, this treatment is most

eﬀective. The shots work well when symptoms occur year-round or aren’t

easily controlled with other medication.



According to the CDC, adults who don’t ﬁnish high school are more likely to

have asthma than adults who graduate high school or college.

Here’s a brief look at the most common

asthma medications and how they work:

MEDICATION WHAT THEY DO

Bronchodilators

(bron-co-DI-lay-ters)

Relax and open the muscles around

the airways. Two types of medications

are used to relax airway muscles.

Short acting – Give quick relief of

symptoms and last 4 to 6 hours.

Long acting – Last 6 to 12 hours;

not to be used for quick relief of

symptoms.

Corticosteroids

(cor-tih-co-STAIR-oyds)

Reduce, reverse and in some cases

stop irritation, swelling and mucus

buildup in breathing tubes.

Three forms of corticosteroids:

Oral

Inhaled

Nasal

Non-Corticosteroids Stop swelling and mucus buildup

when coming in contact with

something that bothers you.

Two types of non-corticosteroid

medications:

Anti-Inﬂammatories

Anti-Leukotrienes

MEDICATION WHAT THEY DO

Expectorants & Mucolytics Loosen mucus so that it’s easier to

cough up.

Cough Suppressants Stop a steady, dry cough that doesn’t

bring up any mucus.

Antibiotics Fight infections.



Talk to your doctor or health care team

to decide which of these medications are

best for your child.

WebMD: Asthma Medications:

webmd.com/asthma/guide/asthma-medications

THE PUFF OF DREAMS

INHALERS AND SPACERS

MEET THE INHALER

An inhaler is your ﬁrst line of defense when an asthma

episode strikes. Sometimes called a metered dose

inhaler (MDI) or a dry powder inhaler (DPI), a puﬀ

breathed in on this device can relieve irritated airways

and make breathing comfortable again. The MDI quickly

sprays medicine through a nozzle, out of the mouthpiece

and into the lungs. There are diﬀerent kinds of inhalers,

as seen below.

INHALER STEPS

You can help teach your teen how to properly use an inhaler by learning

these steps:

1. Shake the inhaler before using. Then remove the cap from the mouthpiece.

2. Open your mouth wide and place the mouthpiece an inch or two from your

mouth.

3. Tilt your head back slightly, keeping your mouth wide-open.

4. While taking a slow, deep breath through your mouth, press down one time

on the canister.

5. Hold your breath for 10 seconds if you can.

6. Breathe out slowly through pursed lips.

7. Wait two to three minutes before repeating the dose.

8. Replace the cap on the mouthpiece after your ﬁnal puﬀ of medicine.

9. Rinse your mouth with water so the medicine doesn’t irritate your throat and

mouth.

 Some inhalers used for asthma are breath-activated. For this type,

you need to place your lips tightly around the mouthpiece for the inhaler to

work properly.

INHALER FACT

• Bronchodilator meds last about four to six hours and should be taken with an

inhaler when your teen needs to ease asthma symptoms.

• Controller/preventer meds are meant to be taken every day, even when your

child feels ﬁne. These can prevent asthma episodes.

•

Inhaled steroids can have a few side eﬀects that aren’t serious, such as: hoarse

voice, sore throat and mild throat infection.

INHALER FICTION

• Inhaler use can be addictive. NOT TRUE.

• Using inhaler meds everyday makes them lose their eﬀectiveness. NOT TRUE.

•

You need to wait one minute between inhalations. NOT TRUE. Inhalers are

ready to spray again within seconds of ﬁring.

MEET THE SPACER

The spacer is an add-on tube that makes a chamber from an inhaler to your child’s

mouth. Spacers make it easier for the medication to travel by creating space in

which your child can inhale the spray.

SPACER INHALER

SPACER STEPS

Show your teen the easy steps for using a spacer on their inhaler:

1. Remove the protective cap from the inhaler and spacer.

2. Check the spacer for dirt and make sure it’s clean and clear.

3. Insert the inhaler mouthpiece into the end of the spacer.

4. Firmly hold the spacer and inhaler and shake four to ﬁve times.

5. Breathe out normally.

6. Place the mouthpiece of the spacer between your front teeth and seal your

lips around the mouthpiece. Keep your tongue under the mouthpiece. If you

use a mask, gently place it over your mouth and nose.

7. Push down on the end of the inhaler and breathe in slowly.

8. When you’ve inhaled as much air as you can, hold your breath for ﬁve to

10 seconds. If the spacer makes a whistling sound, you’re breathing in too

quickly.

9. Breathe out slowly through pursed lips.

10. Rinse your mouth out after using the inhaler.

METERED DOSE

INHALER (MDI)

METERED DOSE

INHALER WITH

SPACER

DRY POWDER

INHALER (DPI)

Small and easy to carry Not as compact or easy

to carry

Small and easy to carry

Doesn’t require a deep,

fast breath

Doesn’t require a deep,

fast breath

Requires a deep, fast

breath

Accidently breathing out

a bit is OK

Accidently breathing out

a bit is OK

Accidently breathing out

a bit can blow away the

medication

You may have to time

your breath with the

medicine release

Easier to time your

breath with the medicine

release

No need to time your

breath with the medicine

release

METERED DOSE

INHALER (MDI)

METERED DOSE

INHALER WITH

SPACER

DRY POWDER

INHALER (DPI)

Meds can get stuck on

tongue and back of the

throat

Less chance of medicine

on tongue and back of

throat

Meds can get stuck on

tongue and back of the

throat

Some don’t show how

many doses are left

Some don’t show how

many doses are left

Shows when inhaler is

running low on doses

Needs to be shaken and

primed before use

Needs to be shaken and

primed before use, with

correct use of spacer

Capsules must be

loaded into single dose

models before use

Humidity doesn’t aﬀect

meds

Humidity doesn’t aﬀect

meds

High humidity can cause

meds to clump

WebMD: Asthma Inhalers:

webmd.com/asthma/guide/asthma-inhalers

MedlinePlus: How to Use an Inhaler – with Spacer:

medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000041.htm

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

L/min

750

650

550

450

350

250

150

GO WITH THE FLOW

PEAK FLOW METERS

PEAK SEASON

A peak ﬂow meter is a handheld device that measures how well air ﬂows out of your

lungs. It’s portable and doesn’t cost a lot of money. Low range peak ﬂow meters

are best for small children. Standard range peak ﬂow meters are geared toward

older children, teens and adults. These are great tools for testing lung strength and

capacity at any given time.

There are several types of peak ﬂow meters available. Talk to your health care

provider or pharmacist about which type your teen should use.

PEAK FLOW METER STEPS

A peak ﬂow meter is easy to use and good for tracking your child’s asthma.

Here are the steps so you can show your teen how to use it:

1. Stand or sit up straight.

2. Make sure the indicator is at the bottom of the meter (zero).

3. Hold the peak ﬂow meter at the opposite end of the mouthpiece.

4. Take a deep breath in, fully ﬁlling up the lungs.

5. Put the mouthpiece in your mouth between your teeth and over your tongue.

Close your lips tightly around it.

6. Blast the air out as hard and as fast as you can in one blow.

7. Remove the meter from your mouth.

8. Read the number at the level of the indicator.

9. Repeat these steps two more times.

10. Write down the highest of the three readings on the Peak Flow chart or asthma

diary. This number is the PEF (peak expiratory ﬂow).

THE PEAK FLOW ZONES

It’s important to keep a Peak Flow chart for your teen. Share it with the doctor or

health care team so they can help ﬁgure out the Peak Flow Zones. These show

where your teen’s breathing range is: Green Zone, Yellow Zone or Red Zone.

 Good! 80-100 percent of their personal best

• Breathing is good

•

No early warning signs or asthma symptoms

• Be sure they take all medicines every day, as the doctor

prescribes

• Make sure they take their inhaler before they exercise, as their

doctor says

 Caution! 50-79 percent of their personal best

• Runny or stuﬀy nose, sneezing, coughing, itchy throat

• Tiredness or restlessness

• Red or pale face, dark circles under the eyes

•

Use rescue medicine

• Recheck peak ﬂows after 15 minutes or so

• Call their doctor, health care professional, or nurse care manager

if the next reading isn’t in the Green Zone

 Danger! Below 50 percent of their personal best

• Coughing, more at night

• Wheezing

•

Chest feels tight or hurts

• Breathing is faster than normal

• Becoming short of breath quickly

• Use their quick-relief medicine by inhaler or nebulizer right away

• Call their doctor or 911 now

KidsHealth: What’s a Peak Flow Meter?

kidshealth.org/en/parents/peak-ﬂow.html?ref=search



Help your teen track the results of using the peak ﬂow meter each day by ﬁlling out

this Peak Flow Diary together.

DATE AND

TIME

WHEEZING

COUGHING

CHEST

TIGHTNESS

LIMITED ACTIVITY

NIGHT

AWAKENINGS

EARLY MORNING

COUGH

Triggers/

Quick–relief

medications

Record your best peak

ﬂow each morning and

early afternoon before

and a few minutes

after using your

inhaler or nebulized

medicine.

PM AM

STEP UP

FITNESS AND ASTHMA

FITNESS FACTS

Having asthma shouldn’t hold your teen back from being active and ﬁt. If a

diagnosis of asthma meant the end of sports participation, the world would

never have known Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Emmitt Smith, Kristi Yamaguchi,

Dennis Rodman and many other pro athletes.

It’s important for children of all ages with asthma to play sports, exercise, be

active and stay ﬁt, as well as staying at a healthy weight. Building stronger

breathing muscles can also help their lungs work better.

For your teen with asthma, there are a couple of important things to keep in

mind about them playing sports.

1. Their asthma has to be under control for them to play properly.

2. With their asthma under control, they should be active and play sports just

like anyone else.

Some sports are less strenuous and less likely to trigger asthma ﬂare-ups.

Swimming, walking, biking and golf are ideal. Games that don’t require

extended bursts of activity, like baseball, gymnastics and football work well,

too.

But activities that require endurance, like long-distance running and cycling,

and sports like soccer and basketball, will be more challenging. Cold-weather

sports like skiing or ice hockey will pose greater breathing problems. It doesn’t

mean children can’t play these sports if they want, but it will take the right

training and medication.

THE KEY

The key to keeping asthma under control is for children to take their medicine

as prescribed. If they forget or skip taking their controller meds, symptoms can

become worse or lead to severe ﬂare-ups.



Make sure your teen carries rescue

medication at all times, even during

sports, exercise and workouts, in case of

a ﬂare-up. Figure out how to make a kit

that contains rescue meds, an inhaler and

maybe a spacer. Put it in a small container

that can ﬁt in a backpack or purse and

make sure your child takes it everywhere,

along with their asthma action plan.

TRIGGER WATCH

Keep triggers in mind when your teen is exercising or playing sports. To try to

prevent them, have your child:

• Skip outside activities when pollen or mold counts are high.

• Wear a scarf or ski mask during the winter when training outside.

• Breathe through the nose while exercising.

• Take the time to do a warmup and cool down.

Make your child’s coaches aware of the asthma and any meds he or she may

need. It’s important for the coaches to know when your teen may need a break

from the activities before an episode comes on and it turns into an emergency.

HealthCentral: Kids with Asthma Can and Should

Play Team Sports

healthcentral.com/asthma/c/52325/107483/asthma-

play-sports

AND ACTION!

YOUR TEEN’S ASTHMA ACTION PLAN

You and your teen can use the Peak Flow Diary included in the Teens on

Course™: It’s All about Asthma book to chart and keep track of regular peak

ﬂow meter readings. Another important part of the process is to keep an

asthma action plan.





Created with your doctor, an asthma action plan is written to help control your

teen’s asthma. It shows their daily treatment, such as what kind of meds to

take and when to take them. It shows how to control asthma long term and

how to handle it during episodes and ﬂare-ups. Like the Peak Flow Chart, it

shows the Peak Flow Zones and explains when to call the doctor or go to the

emergency room.

See to it that anyone who needs to know about your teen’s asthma—such as

teachers or coaches—has a copy of the asthma action plan.



Make sure your teen takes his or her

asthma action plan with them at all

times. Make copies for them to give to

anyone who may need to know in case of

emergency.

The next page contains a sample asthma action plan.

CDC: Asthma Action Plans:

cdc.gov/asthma/tools_for_control.htm



GENERAL INFORMATION:

Name: ______________________________

Emergency contact: _______________________________ Phone #: _____________

Doctor/health care provider: ________________________ Phone #: _____________

Doctor signature: ____________________________________ Date: _____________

SEVERITY:

Intermittent

Mild persistent Moderate persistent

Severe persistent

TRIGGERS:

Colds Exercise Food

Animals Smoke Weather Dust

Air pollution Other

GREEN ZONE: DOING WELL

Symptoms:

• Breathing is good

• No cou

gh or wheeze

• Can work and play

• Sleeps well at night

Peak Flow Meter

More than 80 percent of personal best or ________

Peak Flow Meter Personal Best =

Control medications:

Medicine

How much to take When to take

YELLOW ZONE:

GETTING WORSE

Symptoms:

• Some problems

breathing

• Cough, wheeze

or tight chest

• Problems working

or playing

• Wake at night

Peak Flow Meter

Between 50 percent

and 80 percent

of personal best

or ________ to

_________

_____________

Contact doctor if using quick r

elief more than 2 times per week.

Continue control medicines and add:

Medicine

How much t

o take When to take

If symptoms (and peak ﬂow,

if used

) return to Gr

een Zone

after one hour of the quick-

relief treatment, THEN:

Take quick-relief

medication every four

hours for one to two days.

Change your long-

term control medicine

by _______________

Contact your doctor

for follow-up care.

If symptoms (and peak ﬂow, if

used) DO NOT return t

o Green

Zone after one hour of the

quick-relief treatment, then:

Take quick relief treatment again.

Change your long-term control

medicine by __________________

Call your doctor/health care

provider within _____ hour(s) of

modifying your medication routine.

RED ZONE:

MEDICAL ALERT

Symptoms:

• Many brea

thing

problems

• Can’t work or play

• Getting worse and

not better

• Medicine doesn’t help

Peak Flow Meter

Less than 50 percent of

personal best or

________ to _________

Ambulance/Emergency Phone Number:

Continue control medicines and add:

Medicine

How much t

o take When to take

Go to the hospital or call 911 if:

Still in the red zone after

15 minutes.

You have not been able

to reach your doctor/health

care provider for help.

_____________________

Call an ambulance or 911

right away if these danger

signs are present:

Trouble walking/talking

due to shortness of breath.

Lips or ﬁngernails are blue.

TRIGGERS: Colds Exercise Food

Animals Smoke Weather Dust

Air pollution Other _____________

MY NOTES

__________________________________________________________

MY NOTES

__________________________________________________________



American Lung Association

1-800-LUNGUSA or 1-800-586-4872

lung.

org

Allergy & Asthma Network

aanma.org

Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention

800-CDC-INFO

cdc.gov

American Institute of Allergy,

Asthma & Immunology

aaaai.org

National Asthma Education and

Prevention Program

nhlbi.nih.gov/about/org/naepp

Find an Allergist

aca

ai.org/locate-an-allergist

Asthma and Allergy Foundation

of America

Find a Local Support Group

aafa.org/page/aafa-aﬃliated-asthma-

allergy-support-groups.aspx



Kaneshia Agnew

Dr. Woody Kageler

Jennifer Allen

Dana Oliver

Kathy Sedlet

Centene Corporation and are protected by United States and international copyright

law. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, displayed, stored in a

retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,

photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Centene

Corporation. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice.





Having asthma can make you feel like

a fish out of water. If it’s your teen

dealing with it, that’s even worse.

Teens on Course™ has the info you need

to help your child handle the stresses

of asthma and lead a normal life.

From inhalers and spacers to

exercising and action plans, from

control meds and peak flow meters to

triggers and irritants, we lay it all

out for you in this guide to help

your teen cope and live better.

MADE IN

THE USA

Because Wher

e’s It @? Media

cares about the environment,

this book was printed on

recycled paper.

ISBN: 9780986211676

CREATED BY MICHELLE BAIN

DESIGN BY DMITRI JACKSON

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