It is important that you and your child understand asthma and the medicines prescribed to help control it. You may need to help your child make any necessary changes to their lifestyle.

Asthma reviews

All children and young people with asthma should have at least a yearly review, which is usually carried out either by their GP or practice nurse. An asthma review may also be done in hospital if your child is known to the asthma or allergy service. A review should also be held after every asthma attack and hospital or ED admission to check whether changes are needed to their medication or care, as an asthma attack is a sign that your child’s condition may not be controlled.

 This leaflet by St George’s University Hospitals explains about the recommended 48 hour GP review for all children who have attended ED or been admitted to hospital with wheeze or asthma.

Making the management easier

Handy tips from the Asthma + Lung UK nurse team, and other parents, to help you manage your child’s asthma well. Including helpful ideas for talking to your child about asthma, helping them manage their own asthma even at an early age, using an asthma action plan, and getting the best from your child’s asthma review.

Asthma + Lung UK have a parent and carer support network for children with asthma or suspected asthma. They also have an asthma community forum for parents to swap tips and ideas.

 Parents and carers of children aged four to eleven can also use the Child Asthma Control Test in the asthma reviews section of this toolkit. It provides a score so you can see how well your child’s asthma is controlled.

If your child can do peak expiratory flow measurements then you can also monitor their asthma control by using a peak flow diary.

 Go to the Asthma + Lung UK page to find out more about tests to diagnose asthma and about peak flow diaries.

The Hands-on Guide to Practical Paediatrics team has put together an instructional video on how to use a peak flow meter.