Winter infections are made a little more serious if you have a toddler with asthma. We know if your toddler has eczema there is a higher chance they might also have asthma. In our house with two toddlers with eczema, only one of them, my eldest, also has asthma. Having been admitted to hospital a few times with chest infections made worse by asthma, there are a few extra things we do this time of year.

what is an asthma action plan?

Every six months our asthma action plan is updated by our pediatrician, but a GP would also be able to do this. Getting on top of our action plan is the first step we take to managing our toddler’s asthma in winter. Not only does it remind me of important steps to take, but also my toddler’s medication might be changed for the winter months.

A written action plan tells you:

1. What medication to give your toddler every day (even when they are feeling well)
2. How to tell if your toddler’s asthma is getting worse
3. What you should do if your toddler’s symptoms are getting worse
4. What to do if your toddler has an asthma attack

We start our winter asthma medicines in April which is time enough to cover us if a chest infection hits. Part of our asthma action plan is at the first sign of a cough or cold we start our ventolin puffer with a spacer. Definitely discuss your asthma action with your doctor.

Are you puffing properly?

The next step is a refresher for me on giving my toddler his asthma medication. A lot of mums and dads come into the pharmacy where I work during this time of year to make sure they are using the puffer and spacer in the right way. Using a puffer and spacer, and counting the number of breaths taken by your toddler can sometimes get a bit tricky. There are some great videos put up by Asthma Australia to help you out here.

Dust mites and asthma
Lastly I give the house an autumn clean to help reduce the amount of dust mite allergen around the house. Dust mite allergen can be a trigger for both eczema and asthma. Pop over to our dust mite blog post for some tips on taking care of dust mite allergen in your house.

This post was brought to you with love from Julia and the Itchy Baby Co. team x

Disclaimer: Information provided is of a general nature only, and you should always consult your medical professional.