Asthma action plans: how to get one!

1) How to get an asthma action plan for your child

Child/ girl being shown how to use volumatic inhaler to treat asthma. Mother and nurse.

© Crown copyright 2014

It is important to have an asthma action plan for your child as this will give you specific information about what to do if your child shows the early signs of an attack. You can then follow the plan and, if caught in the early stages, you can prevent it getting worse, prevent distress for you and your child and prevent the need for a hospital admission. It will also tell you what to do if they are not responding to the usual inhalers and when to call for help or an ambulance in an emergency.

Ask your child’s nurse about an asthma action plan. This can be either the practice nurse at your own GP surgery or their specialist nurse at hospital if you have one.