Asthma Plan Of Action

                    

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If you or a family member that lives in your home has asthma you should have an Asthma Plan of Action. This plan will help each person in the home that will be affected by the attack. Every family member will know exactly what to do or even expect. Every family member does not need a part in the plan but every family member does need to know exactly what to expect when an asthma attack occurs. An Asthma Plan of Action is intended to help family member to be focused on the plan and not panicking. Every asthma patient that has an attack needs everyone around them to be calm, cool, and collective. If an asthma patient that is having an attack sees that everyone around him/her is in panic mode then they are going to get upset even more and that in itself will make it harder for them to breath. It is a proven fact that people who have a plan stay more focused and get things under control.

Every minute that we can help the patient to breath regular again is a minute saved for that patient?s lungs. Once you have your plan in place be sure to go over that plan with every family member in the home that is old enough to understand. This lets everyone know what to expect in the event that a family member has an attack. (I feel if you have a 4 or 5 year old in the home they would be old enough to understand some of what you will be telling them. We really don?t give these little guys enough credit.) The plan should have the following steps. This is a basic plan you should change it to fit your family?s needs. If you have more than one family member with asthma then you should have a plan for each person.

Asthma Action Plan
Asthma Action Plan for
Date
Doctor's Name
Doctor's Phone Number
Hospital/ Emergency Room Phone Number

GREEN ZONE: Doing Well

? No cough, wheeze, chest tightness or shortness of breath during the day or night
? Can do usual activities
And, if a peak flow meter is used,
Peak flow: more than (80% or more of my best peak flow)

My best peak flow is:

Take These Long-Term-Control Medicines Each Day (include an anti-inflammatory)

Medicine How Much to Take When to Take it

YELLOW ZONE: Asthma Is Getting Worse

? Cough, wheeze, chest tightness or shortness of breath, or
? Waking at night due to asthma, or
? Can do some but not all usual activities
-Or-
Peak Flow: to (50% to 80% of my best peak flow)
First, add the following quick-relief medicine -- and keep taking your GREEN ZONE medicine:
_________________________
(short-acting beta2 -agonist)

Please circle one of the following:

? 2 puffs every 20 minutes for up to one hour,
? 4 puffs every 20 minutes for up to one hour, or
? nebulizer once

Second, if your symptoms (and peak flow, if used) return to GREEN ZONE after 1 hour of above treatment:

Please circle one or both of the following:

? Take the quick-relief medicine every 4 hours for 1 to 2 days
? Double the dose of your inhaled steroid for (7-10)days
-Or-
If your symptoms (and peak flow, if used) do not return to Green Zone after 1 hour of above treatment:

Please circle one, two or all of the following:

? Take: (short-acting beta- agonist) 2 or 4 puffs or nebulizer.
? Add: (oral steroid) mg per day. For (3-10) days.
? Call the doctor before/within hours after taking the oral steroid.

RED ZONE: Medical Alert!

? Very short of breath, or
? Quick-relief medicines have not helped, or
? Cannot do usual activities, or
? Symptoms are same or get worse after 24 hours in Yellow Zone
-Or-
Peak flow: less than (50% of my best peak flow)

Take This Medicine:
___________________________________
(short-acting beta-agonist)
Please circle one of the following:
? 4 puffs,
? 6 puffs, or
? nebulizer
-And/Or-
_______________________ ________mg
(oral steroid)
Then call your family doctor NOW.

Go to the hospital or call for an ambulance if:

You are still in the red zone after 15 minutes AND You have not reached your doctor.

DANGER SIGNS

? Trouble walking and talking due to shortness of breath
? Lips or fingernails are blue

Take 4 or 6 puffs (please circle) of your quick-relief medicine AND go to the hospital or call an ambulance (phone number ) NOW!

I hope that this plan will help you and your family. I know how stressful it can be when a family member is having an asthma attack and we don?t know exactly what to do. With this plan everyone in the home should be able to help that asthma patient when an attack occurs.

Feed them, change them, hold them, and when those don?t work we don?t know what else to do. I promise it does get easier. With each passing day it does get easier. You will learn your child?s cries. Their hungry cry will differ from their, I need changed cry. When you get to a place where you are not sure what to do with your baby, ask an experienced parent. If you feel comfortable with their advice do it. If you don?t then you will know it. Every mother has a natural instinct, and it will kick in with out you even noticing it. Taking care of your baby will get easier and easier as each day goes by. It still can be over whelming, but you will learn from each experience. It will make you and your child closer.

Just remember to do the best you can and remember that this little life is depending on you for everything that he/she needs to survive. Without you he/she could not make it. Sit back and enjoy every moment you have with your child before you know it they will be all grown up and gone having their own families. You can only experience life raising a child once with each child. Don?t miss out on anything.

Shannon Miller is the mom of 5 children. Two of her children suffer from astham come by http://www.asthmainfosite.com and see her experiences and advice.