The key to managing asthma is to develop an asthma action plan and then sticking to that plan. An asthma action plan is a plan written by the doctor of the asthma patient or asthma specialist to help the asthma patient manage asthma and prevent asthma attacks. The plan is designed to tell the patients, or their family members, what to do when there are changes in the severity of asthma symptoms and in peak flow numbers.

Written plans are especially useful because they allow the patient to track changes in their symptoms. It also allows them to know when to adjust the asthma medications, when to call the doctor, how to recognize the early warnings of an asthma attack and how to keep track of the effectiveness of the medication.

Asthma medications are usually customized to the individual patient and so is the asthma management plan. Doctors and patients must work together to create the plan, taking the patients’ medical history, allergies and lifestyle into account. For children with asthma, parents must keep a detailed asthma action plan and make sure the children are taking the medication regularly. They must also make sure their teachers are aware of the children’s asthma and know how to handle a sudden asthma attack.