Keeping Calendars & Journals

• Avoid the triggers and when there is a trigger, mark it down on your calendar – ‘she had a trigger today. It was 95 degrees out and we were outside’
• Keep a journal – I’ve done that since he started with it and I can look back and see patterns and possible triggers as well as reactions to medications. It’s also good to bring to appointments so you can communicate everything clearly and specifically to your doctor.
• I have a little yearly calendar that stays in my van. When I go to the doctor’s they give you the little cards. I automatically put it in my calendar, because, if I don’t do it while I am there, the appointment will probably be forgotten.

Planning Ahead

• We have an asthma basket. I just have a plastic basket where I try to keep the nebulizer, medications and those supplies, as well as lozenges and cough syrup and anything you might need when you travel.
• I get my prescriptions refilled at the grocery store. I can go in and ask them for a refill and when I am done with my shopping, I can pick up the prescription.
• Always ask questions before going someplace for a children’s activity. I call ahead and ask what is going on so I can avoid triggers. For example, when we went to the pumpkin farm I knew in advance that there was a hayride and whether it was tractor or horse-drawn. If you have a good understanding of what is there, you can know what to avoid.
• I fill prescriptions with the mail order every three months. I always ordered one month ahead. You should always keep extra on hand and always keep extra scripts. I always have an extra script on hand.
• I try to make early morning doctor appointments so she misses as little school as possible.

Involving Kids in Their Treatments

• We keep her inhaler in the kitchen in a little cookie jar and it is her own little routine.
• Using the peak flow meter has been something that has really helped because it is giving her a concrete ‘something’ to shoot for.
• We make some things a family activity. So, you know ‘you can help me. Let’s go.’ So we’ll go strip her bed and she puts the laundry detergent in ‘okay now what temperature do we have to wash this in?’ And she goes ‘Hot! Hot! So we can kill the dust mites.’ We have this little thing where we’re zapping the dust mites and she thinks that’s cute.
• We keep her puffer right in the bathroom because that way it is more accessible to her. It is, you know, more of a mental reminder – brush your teeth, brush your hair, do your puffer and go.

We’re still a family!

• A child having asthma doesn’t have to tear the family apart, a family doesn’t have to stop being a family, they don’t have to stop everything that is fun; they just have to plan ahead.
• The most important thing for families to do is to become super well educated with what they are dealing with. When your child is being treated, you have to be able to intelligently answer the questions and have input. You have to be able to go to the doctor and say ‘this is the problem or I don’t think my child is going to handle that well, or my child has not done well with that before.’
• Patience. You just have to have patience. And you have to look to one another; coordinating with each other, and who has time to do what. We all work together.

If you're a parent with a child with asthma, you may be eligible to participate in the Family Life and Asthma Project.

We are currently recruiting families who have children with asthma, aged 5-12 years. Participation in this study lasts for 6 weeks. Your child must have had a diagnosis for at least 1 year, and be prescribed a medication for their asthma. Evening appointments are available, and we meet at our research lab located right near the University.

We provide free dinner, childcare and transportation (if necessary) and monetary reimbursement for your time.

Call (315) 443-3664 now for more information!