Prevention

Careful planning and avoiding asthma triggers are the best ways to prevent asthma attacks.

• Limit exposure to asthma triggers. Help your child avoid the allergens and irritants that trigger asthma symptoms.
• Don't allow smoking around your child. Exposure to tobacco smoke during infancy is a strong risk factor for childhood asthma, as well as a common trigger of asthma attacks.
• Encourage your child to be active. As long as your child's asthma is well-controlled, regular physical activity can help the lungs to work more efficiently.

• See the doctor when necessary. Check in regularly. Don't ignore signs that your child's asthma might not be under control, such as needing to use a quick-relief inhaler too often.

  Asthma changes over time. Consulting your child's doctor can help you make needed treatment adjustments to keep symptoms under control.

• Help your child maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight can worsen asthma symptoms, and it puts your child at risk of other health problems.
• Keep heartburn under control. Acid reflux or severe heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD) might worsen your child's asthma symptoms. He or she might need over-the-counter or prescription medications to control acid reflux.