Talk to your child about asthma.

Helping your child understand more about asthma can help in managing your child's asthma.

Looking for more asthma information?

Discover a variety of helpful tools and resources to learn more about managing your child's asthma.

Asthma attacks will decrease when my child gets used to being around pets.

Continuous exposure to pets is not believed to decrease asthma attacks.

Animal dander, dried skin from pets with fur or feathers, can be a common asthma trigger as long as your child is around pets. However, working to avoid asthma triggers and having your child take asthma medications as prescribed can help reduce your child's asthma symptoms. Learn more about a treatment option.

Treating asthma every day

Asthma symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath, vary in each person, including children. And even though your child may not be having symptoms every day, it's important to understand that asthma is still there every day and can flare up.

For children who are using their rescue medications more than 2 times a week, daily controller medicines that treat the underlying cause of asthma can help prevent asthma symptoms before they start. You could make a difference in your child's life by:

Knowing your child’s asthma triggers
Working closely with your child’s doctor
Making sure your child takes a daily medicine as prescribed — even when she or he does not have symptoms

Together, these steps can help you actively manage your child's asthma so he or she can live a more active life.

Possible benefits of asthma control

Dr. Craig Jones Talks About Asthma

With better control over your child's asthma, your child could experience differences at home, at school, or at play, such as:

Fewer asthma interruptions at night
Fewer trips to the emergency room

Fewer days missed because of asthma

More physical activity