This section is intended for clinicians caring for children with asthma in a hospital or tertiary care setting. It outlines examples of best practice in the assessment, treatment and ongoing management of children and young people with asthma in an acute setting.
If a child has a personalised asthma action plan they are four times less likely to have an asthma attack that requires emergency hospital treatment. The plan should have information on triggers; what the medicines do (preventers/and relievers); how and when to take treatment; current treatment; how to spot asthma getting worse (symptoms and peak expiratory flow); what treatment to take in an emergency; how and when to call for help.
Parents should be encouraged to share with their child’s school and any activity clubs where they are members
Please see examples here:
National asthma and wheeze management plan
Asthma action plan – St Georges Hospital
Asthma action plan – 5 years and over – Whittington Health
Asthma plan – Northwick Park Hospital
Eczema plan – Northwick Park Hospital
Acute asthma and wheeze personal action plan – South East Coast SCN
EMIS asthma action plan for upload
The Great Ormond Street asthma plan has been translated into Arabic, Greek, Turkish and Bengali. Asthma UK’s Asthma Action plan for >12 years old have also been translated into 11 additional languages here.
Dr Reena Bhatt and Dr Eugenia Lee walk you through how to complete an asthma action plan– watch here.
The Whittington has produced an asthma plan for children and young people and adults that fits in your wallet. When printed out, double sided, it folds up into a credit card size shape (a little thicker than 1 credit card).
