PreemieFamily Feb 2020 After the NICU

Asthma in childhood is higher in premature babies than those born full term.  Parents and caregivers of babies and children with asthma need to take extra precautions – especially during RSV season.  Here are some tips to help you manage your child’s asthma at home, daycare or school:

  • Home Sweet Home: Look around your home and note any areas with known allergy or asthma triggers and look for ways to reduce them. Keep asthma medications on hand and ready for use.
  • Education: You won’t always be around to help your child if his/her asthma flares so it is important to talk to your child and explain to them as much about asthma as they can understand at their age. Help them learn how to handle their condition and know when to ask for help.
  • Plan of Attack: Provide daycare/school officials will an asthma action plan with specific steps for managing their condition. You may want to schedule a conference to go over the plan, including correct inhaler use and signs of trouble breathing.
  • School Nurse: Make sure the school nurse has all the medicines that your child may need during school hours and schedule an appointment to meet with her to review inhaler use, medications and her daily hours at the school.
  • Keep track of meds: Remember that not all inhalers have a way to tell if the device still has medicine. You will need to keep track of the date when you send the inhaler and replace the medicines at school regularly.
  • PE Teacher: Make sure you communicate with the PE teacher as they need to keep an extra eye on your child when he’s exercising since that can trigger asthma. Also, prepare any notes for the teacher when you know your child won’t be able to participate in certain sports activities.
  • Transportation: If your child is bused to and from daycare or school, make sure to provide the bus driver with a copy of your child’s asthma action plan.