Babysitter's guide to asthma care
Going out? Make sure you talk to your babysitter about your child’s asthma, including medication instructions and information about your child’s
asthma triggers.
- Make sure your babysitter knows how to reach you in case of an emergency. You may want to keep your cell phone number and your child’s doctor’s number near the phone.
- Review your child’s asthma action plan with the babysitter. If your child doesn’t have one, download the asthma action plan form and ask your child’s healthcare provider to help you fill it out. Place the asthma action plan on the fridge or near the phone, and tell your babysitter where it is.
- If your child has exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB), make sure your babysitter knows that your child should use his or her quick-relief inhaler 15-30 minutes before exercise or being active.1
- Review your child’s medication schedule, including quick-relief inhaler use.
- Discuss your child’s asthma triggers. Asthma triggers may include:2
- Sensitivity to cold air.
- Pets and stuffed animals: Be sure the babysitter knows your policy on playing with or sleeping with pets and stuffed animals.
- Strongly scented perfumes.
- Cigar or cigarette smoke: Make sure your babysitter understands and follows your rules on smoking. Children, especially children with asthma, should not be exposed to tobacco smoke.
- Pollen: If the pollen count is high, you may advise the babysitter to keep your child with asthma inside.
References
- ProAir® HFA Prescribing Information. Teva Respiratory, LLC; 2010.
- NHLBI Expert Panel Report 3 (EPR3): Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.htm. Accessed April 20, 2010.
ProAir
® HFA (albuterol sulfate) Inhalation Aerosol is indicated in patients 4 years of age and older for the treatment or prevention of bronchospasm with reversible obstructive airway disease and for the prevention of exercise-induced bronchospasm.
Important Safety Information
If your symptoms become significantly worse when you use ProAir
® HFA, contact your doctor immediately. This may indicate either a worsening of your asthma or a reaction to the medication, which may rarely occur with the first use of a new canister of ProAir
® HFA. Either of these could be life-threatening.
What to tell your doctor before using ProAir
® HFA: If you have a heart, blood, or seizure disorder, high blood pressure, diabetes, or an overactive thyroid, be sure to tell your doctor. Also make sure your doctor knows all the medications you are taking – especially heart medications and drugs that treat depression – because some medications may interfere with how well your asthma medications work. Do not exceed the recommended dose.
Side effects associated with ProAir
® HFA included headache, rapid heart beat, pain, dizziness, and irritation of the throat and nose.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit
www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.