Working With Your Doctor Towards Asthma Control
Working With Your Doctor
- Children with asthma need to have a regular doctor.
- Visit your doctor twice a year for an asthma checkup, even if there are no problems.
- Be prepared for your visit with the doctor (eg: problems, questions).
- Help your child talk to the doctor about their asthma and ask questions.
- Ask the doctor to write down any instructions.
Things To Bring To An Appointment
- Your child's Asthma Action Plan
- Asthma record or diary
- All medicines and inhaler devices (eg. spacers or chambers)
- List of questions in order of importance
What Your Doctor Needs To Know
Your doctor needs to know about:
- asthma symptoms, what they are, when they occur and how often
- what you think caused the asthma symptoms
- new triggers
- emergency or hospital admissions for asthma
- activities missed or limited by asthma
- asthma medicines used, when, and how long
- side effects from medicines
- use of other medicines (eg. over-the-counter medicines)
- use of other treatments such as herbs or vitamins
What To Expect From the Doctor's Visit?
Expect your doctor to:
- listen to your concerns
- answer your questions
- review medicines and how to use them
- explain new medicines
- make sure you have prescriptions
- review and update your child's Asthma Action Plan
- refer you for asthma education if needed
What Should The Doctor Expect?
Your doctor will expect you to:
- follow the plan you make together
- avoid triggers
- use medicine as directed
- ask questions if you don't understand
- tell him/her if you have concerns about anything you talked about
- let him/her know if you have a problem paying for your medicine
What Do You Need To Know?
- How to contact your doctor between visits
- How to get more medicine between visits
- Where to go for asthma education
- When to return for a follow-up visit
What Is Asthma Control?
- Normal activity
- Normal sleep
- No daytime asthma symptoms
- No need for Reliever medicine
- No emergency visits for asthma
- No missed school/work for asthma
Asthma Allie Says:
"Work with your doctor to control asthma!"
The Children's Allergy & Asthma Education Centre © 2014