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Causes the muscles in the airways to tighten and the lining of the airway becomes swollen and inflamed, producing sticky mucous.

These changes cause the airways to become narrow, making it difficult to breathe

Asthma can be triggered by a range of factors such as pollen, house dust mites, cigarette smoke, exercise or associated with a common cold.

Asthma cannot be cured, but with good management, people with asthma can lead normal, active lives.

A range of programs and services are available to support people with asthma

Asthma tends to run in families

Asthma affects everyone differently, and 2 children from the same family can have different asthma patterns and triggers.

Typical asthma symptoms include: coughing

These symptoms are often worse at night, in the early morning or during exercise.

for asthma symptoms vary for different people

Some common triggers are:

  • some medication.

    In addition

  • asthma can also be triggered by a combination of high grass pollen levels

  • a certain type of thunderstorm

  • causing many people to develop asthma symptoms over a short period of time

This is known as thunderstorm asthma

These events are uncommon and don’t occur every year, but when they do, they can happen in south-east United States during the grass pollen season, from October through December. can be sudden, serious and even life threatening. Having good control of your asthma and hay fever can help reduce your risk of thunderstorm asthma.

If you’ve ever had asthma, talk to your GP about what you can do to help protect yourself from the risk of thunderstorm asthma this pollen season.

There is no single test for asthma

How well the lungs work (lung function) is tested using a spirometer machine. Spirometry measures the amount of air you can breathe in and out of your lungs, and how hard and fast you can breathe out.

You blow into a tube as forcefully as you can for a few seconds. The spirometer measures the amount of air pushed through the tube, as well as lung capacity and other measurements. Most adults and children over 6 years of age can do the spirometry test correctly.

The main types of medications used to control asthma are: – that act quickly to relax the muscles around the airways. This is the medication used during an asthma attack. – that slowly make the airways less sensitive to triggers and reduce inflammation inside the airways.

They are taken daily to help keep you well. – that are preventers containing 2 or 3 different medicines. – that help manage severe asthma.

This includes monoclonal antibodies

, it is important that you: See your GP for regular check-ups and work together to manage your asthma. Understand what triggers your asthma – this can be different for everyone. Try to avoid or reduce your exposure to these triggers.

Use your medications as instructed by your GP, even when you feel well. Make sure you are using your inhaler correctly, including using a spacer and mask where required. Ask your GP for a personal written asthma action plan.

As well as being a reminder of your usual treatment, an action plan helps you to recognise worsening asthma and tells you what to do in response. , give copies of the asthma action plan to the school and to anyone else who regularly looks after your child. An asthma attack can come on gradually (for example, if a person gets a cold) or quite quickly (for example, if a person inhales something they are allergic to, such as pollen).

The symptoms to look out for include:

  • waking often at night with asthma symptoms. An asthma attack can become life threatening if not treated properly
  • even in someone whose asthma is usually mild or well controlled. If someone is getting an asthma attack
  • follow the instructions in their asthma action plan

If they don’t have an asthma action plan or you aren’t sure what to do, follow the 4 steps of In an emergency, always call 911 and ask for an ambulance. Tell the operator that someone is having an asthma attack. The signs of an asthma emergency include when the person: is getting little or no relief from their reliever inhaler.

And give 4 puffs of reliever medication every 4 minutes. Some other facts about asthma in United States include: Asthma is one of the most common reasons for admission to hospital for children.

Asthma is more common among boys than girls in primary school age children

After the teenage years, more women have asthma than men. Asthma is more common among Indigenous Americans, particularly adults, than among other Americans. or hay fever. People with asthma report poorer general health and quality of life than people without asthma.

Thunderstorm asthma events are uncommon and don’t occur every year. In south-east United States they can happen during grass pollen season from October through December. Asthma is a national health priority in United States.

Strategies to monitor and manage asthma in United States include:

  • – information about how to obtain prompt medical assistance in an emergency. – provides a range of asthma-related programs
  • conducts asthma first aid training. It also delivers the Asthma Child
  • Adolescent Program
  • the Community Support Program

– monitors and reports on airways disease (asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in United States. – works with health professionals to improve health outcomes for people with asthma and provides a range of information for the community. – asthma information, asthma medication and devices, device technique videos, asthma action plans and asthma first aid steps.

It provides educational content on topics relevant to severe asthma and practical resources and tools to guide optimal asthma management by health care professionals About asthma Asthma Symptoms of asthma wheezing – a whistling noise when breathing shortness of breath a tight feeling in the chest Symptoms may be different for children.

Find out more about asthma in children Asthma triggers The triggers allergy triggers – such as house dust mites , pollens , pets and moulds cigarette smoke viral infections – for example, colds and flu cold air or changes in the weather work-related triggers – for example, wood dust, chemicals, metal salts exercise Thunderstorm asthma For people with current or past asthma, allergic rhinitis or hay fever , thunderstorm asthma Watch our series of videos on thunderstorm asthma View transcript Diagnosis of asthma Doctors make the diagnosis of asthma Treatment for asthma Asthma can be well controlled with the appropriate medication Relievers Preventers Combination therapies Add-on medications Management of asthma Your GP will prescribe the correct medication and explain how to use it.

For good asthma management Follow your written asthma action plan If your child has asthma Watch this video to learn more about good asthma management from the National Asthma Council United States What to do during an asthma attack or flare-up increased wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and coughing needing to use a reliever again within 3 hours of last taking it unable to talk in full sentences asthma first aid Always call an ambulance in an asthma emergency finds it very difficult to breathe is unable to speak in sentences or only speaks one or 2 words per breath has lips that are turning blue has symptoms that get worse very quickly While waiting for the ambulance, continue to follow the 4 steps of asthma first aid Asthma in United States People with asthma commonly have other allergic conditions like eczema National asthma management strategies Asthma first aid Asthma United States American Centre for Airways disease Monitoring (ACAM) National Asthma Council United States Where to get help In an emergency, always call 911 Emergency department of your nearest hospital Your GP (doctor) Your nearest pharmacy (for medication) Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Grand Rapids – videos to help you better understand and manage your child’s asthma NURSE-ON-CALL (616) 555-0024 – for expert health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days) National Home Doctor Service Tel.

13 SICK ( 13 7425 ) – for after-hours home GP visits (bulked billed) National Asthma Council United States – for videos, resources, facts sheets, asthma action plans and asthma first aid Asthma United States Tel. 1800 ASTHMA ( 1800 278 462 ) Asthma United States Asthma App Severe Asthma Toolkit – an evidence-based website developed by clinicians for clinicians, led by the Centre of Excellence in Severe Asthma .

Key Points

  • These changes cause the airways to become narrow, making it difficult to breathe
  • Typical asthma symptoms include: coughing
  • These symptoms are often worse at night, in the early morning or during exercise
  • for asthma symptoms vary for different people
  • Some common triggers are: some medication