Elevate Your Health Colorado Finding relief for asthma symptoms

It was one of the most frightening experiences Mike and Joy Douglass have ever dealt with as parents.

Their daughter, Sofia, gasped for air through blue lips, and had to be rushed to the hospital.

Soon after being admitted to the hospital, Sofia, 5, was referred to an allergist who diagnosed her with asthma. After the diagnosis, the Douglass’s were introduced to Cynthia Lamb, RN, AE-C, asthma care coordinator with Kaiser Permanente Colorado.

“Working with Sofia’s doctor and the allergist, I stepped in to give some support to Sofia’s parents,” Lamb says. “My goal was to help them recognize asthma symptoms, teach them about the medications and explain when they should be used.”

Asthma management team

Using an integrated electronic registry, Lamb tracks at-risk asthma patients, like Sofia, to make sure their condition is under control. Lamb monitors patients' medications, and when medication refills or follow-up appointments are due. Through frequent phone calls, she tracks patients’ overall health and asthma symptoms, and reminds them to administer asthma controller medication daily.

For the Douglass’s, the added support was like a breath of fresh air. They no longer needed to worry about how to keep Sofia’s asthma under control. No more emergency trips to the hospital. No more living in fear of another asthma attack.  

“The asthma management team at Kaiser Permanente made us feel very comfortable in a very scary situation,” Mike Douglass says. “We had a lot of new medicines and information to digest, and the added help meant a lot.”

He adds: “Before Sofia was part of the asthma management program, I was on pins and needles worrying about whether she was going to have an attack. Now, I can let her be a kid knowing her asthma is under control.”

A serious lung disorder

Asthma attacks, like the one Sofia experienced, happen to children every day. These attacks occur when airways tighten, inflame, or fill with mucus, causing coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or difficulty breathing.

Severe attacks can even cause permanent lung scarring or death. Asthma attacks can be triggered by several factors, including allergens, cigarette smoke, upper respiratory infections, and exercise. 

If left uncontrolled, asthma can impact more than physical health. “Asthma is the No. 1 reason why children miss school, and prescriptions and ED co-pays can be huge economic burdens to families,” says Lamb.

Keeping asthma under control

Administering controller medication daily is the most important thing a parent can do to keep their child’s asthma at bay, Lamb says.  “Controller medications are an everyday necessity to prevent asthma attacks,” she adds. “It’s one of the best ways parents can help their child manage the disorder.”

If the child is using a quick-relief inhaler more than two days a week or has restless nights due to breathing troubles, chances are, the asthma is not under control.  “By staying involved with the patient’s treatment plan through check-ins, we can intervene before a severe attack occurs,” Lamb says. 

Although asthma is a part of Sofia’s life, it no longer controls it.

“After she started using the daily controller medicine as a part of the treatment plan, she hasn’t had any problems,” Douglass says. “It’s almost like she doesn’t even have asthma.”

For tips and information on managing your child’s asthma, visit kp.org.