Caring for Your Child With Cough-Variant Asthma

Kids with cough-variant asthma usually cough instead of wheeze when they have an asthma flare-up. Giving medicines as prescribed helps control cough-variant asthma.

There are three types of medicine used at home to treat asthma:

Lots of kids have asthma. It is a chronic (ongoing) condition, which means it usually lasts for years. Many kids grow out of it. Kids with asthma have airways that sometimes can tighten and get plugged with mucus. This is called an asthma flare-up. During an asthma flare-up, a child may cough a lot, feel chest tightness, wheeze, or be short of breath.

For kids with a certain type of asthma called "cough-variant" asthma, coughing is the main symptom of a flare-up. Coughing may get worse at night, during or after exercise, in cold weather, or when your child is around allergens or other triggers.

A trigger is something that can cause asthma symptoms to start. Triggers don't bother most people, but they can make people with asthma have a flare-up.

Common asthma triggers include:

• Allergens (like pollen, dust, or mold).

• Smoke.

• Respiratory infections.

• Changes in weather.

• Exercise.

• Stress.

Kids with asthma can have different triggers. Some kids outgrow triggers as they get older. Avoiding triggers and taking prescribed medicines are important ways to control asthma.

The health care professional examined your child, asked questions about symptoms, then diagnosed your child with cough-variant asthma.

Sometimes health care professionals give families an "asthma action plan," which is a written guide for controlling asthma and treating symptoms right away. The plan includes information about prescription medicines, how to avoid asthma triggers, and what to do if symptoms happen. It's important that you and your child understand the asthma action plan, know the signs of a flare-up, and know what to do if a flare-up happens.

• Make sure you and your child understand the signs of a flare-up and what to do if one happens.

• Long-term control medicines should be taken every day as directed, even if your child is feeling fine.

• Quick-relief medicine should be started at the first signs of a flare-up.

• Be sure your child always carries or has quick-relief medicine available. Talk to the school nurse about keeping some of the medicine at school.

• Refill medicines before they run out.

• Be sure your child always uses a spacer with an inhaler.

• Your child should avoid tobacco smoke and any known asthma triggers.

• Make your home and car smoke-free.

• If anyone in your house smokes, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit www.smokefree.gov for advice on quitting.

• Let the teachers and school nurse know about your child's asthma.

• If being active triggers your child's asthma, talk with your doctor about safe ways for your child to get exercise.

• Some kids use a device called a peak flow meter to check on their asthma as part of their action plan. If your child has one, make sure you understand when and how to use it and what your child's peak flow zones are.

Your child:

• Needs medicine more often than prescribed.

• Has a flare-up and quick-relief medicine does not help.

• Your child is short of breath.

• The skin between your child's ribs and neck pulls in tight during breathing.

Call 911 if your child is struggling to breathe, is too out of breath to talk or walk, or turns blue. Call 911 if he or she normally uses a peak flow meter and can barely blow into it (red zone).