Get Ready for Camp with Asthma Action Plan

When children with asthma head off to summer camp, parents need to make sure the camp staff knows that their child has asthma and what to do in case of an emergency.

"Children almost always bring their medications, but parents often forget to tell anyone at camp that their child has asthma. That is a big mistake," said Epi Mazzei, R.N., Manager of LUNG LINE at National Jewish Medical and Research Center. "Make sure that the camp nurse has a copy of the asthma action plan and knows the steps to take for emergency treatment."

An asthma action plan provides written instructions for monitoring asthma and steps to take when a child's condition changes. With the help of the child's doctor, a parent can write an asthma action plan, which typically includes the child's asthma triggers, peak flow zones, early warning signs of worsening asthma, and what to do in an emergency.

"An asthma action plan provides the essential tools for controlling a child's asthma, which makes camp both safer and more fun," said Mazzei.

At camp there are many things that might make a child's asthma worse, including exercise, molds, pollen, perfume, cologne, strong odors, insect stings, and animal dander. For children whose asthma worsens after exercise, pretreatment--an important way to prevent exercise-induced asthma symptoms--may be necessary before hiking, swimming and other strenuous activities.

Parents should check with camp administrators on their policy of allowing children to keep medication with them. Mazzei recommends that a child with asthma carry a "rescue" inhaler, used for quick relief of symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, or chest tightness.

For more information, call LUNG LINE at 800-222-LUNG to talk toll-free to a registered nurse about childhood asthma and asthma action plans.