Asthma Emergencies

Parents avoid the emergency room as often as possible, but if you are the parent of a child with asthma, it’s important to know when the ER is the right choice.

Emergency Symptoms

When the following symptoms are showing up the answer to the question of when should I seek emergency medical attention is NOW.

• If your child is wheezing constantly.
• If they are using their inhaler repeatedly after severe asthma symptoms but they are return again quickly.
• If a long-lasting cough is not responding to inhaled quick-relief medicine.
• If you notice any changes in the color of your child, such as a blueish or grayish appearance in your child’s skin, lips or fingernails.
• If your child is having difficulty speaking because of a shortness of breath and unable to speak full sentences.
• If you notice, during inhalation, that the neck and areas in between below the ribs are pulling in, which is known as refraction, an emergency visit is a must, as well.

Be sure to always keep your child’s asthma medication stocked and easily available. Always take asthma seriously and you should be able to greatly reduce your risk of taking a trip to the Emergency Room.