ASTHMA ATTACK
Asthma is the most common long-term condition for children, young and adult people in all over the world and millions of people are suffering from it.
However, with the right asthma treatment, health care management and family support, schools, group activities and other communities, the Asthma life including a majority of children and young people with asthma can live full and active lives.
ASTHMA ATTACK
Common signs of an asthma attack
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Coughing
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Wheezing
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Being unusually quiet
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Shortness of breath
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Feeling tight in the chest
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Difficulty speaking in full sentences
What to do
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Keep calm
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Encourage the person to sit up and slightly forward – do not hug or lie them down
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Make sure the person takes two puffs of his reliever inhaler immediately
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Loosen tight clothing – it will give him extra place for breath
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Reassure the person – talk calm, put a relax expression on your face
If there is no immediate improvement
Continue to make sure the person takes one puff of reliever inhaler every minute for five minutes or until their symptoms improve (written from personal experience and not from doctor or specialist)
Call emergency or a doctor urgently if:
The person’s symptoms do not improve in 5-10 minutes
The person is too breathless or exhausted to talk
The person’s lips are blue
Or if you are in doubt
Continue to give the person one puff of his reliever inhaler every minute until the ambulance or doctor arrives (written from personal experience and not from doctor or specialist)
After a minor asthma attack
Minor attacks should not interrupt the involvement of a person with asthma in his life. When the person feels better they can return to his activities.
Important things to remember in an asthma attack
Never leave a person having an asthma attack
If the person does not have his inhaler and/or spacer with him, send someone else to get his spare inhaler and/or spacer
Reliever medicine is very safe. During asthma attack do not worry about a person overdosing (written from personal experience and not from doctor or specialist)
Contact the person’s acquaintance (use his cellular list for example) immediately after calling the ambulance/doctor
The person’s acquaintance should always accompany his friend taken to hospital by ambulance and stay with him until someone else from his family arrives
Generally you should not take the asthma attack’s person to hospital in his own car. However in some situations it may be the best course of action. Another one should always accompany anyone driving the person having an asthma attack to emergency services
Do not forget that Guidance from devolved health care authorities on emergency transport in private vehicles is different in each country. You should have a clear emergency procedure policy on if and when this is appropriate.
More resorces about Asthma treatment: