Getting a confirmed diagnosis

If you’ve been waiting for a diagnosis for a while, your child might be taking asthma medicines already.

If the doctor or nurse thinks the treatment is working well your child will probably carry on with these.

But sometimes, it can take time to find the right treatment for your child. Your child’s GP or asthma nurse may want to try other asthma treatments to help your child get on top of their symptoms.

Take your child to their regular asthma review appointments to make sure your child is always on the best treatment plan.

Your child’s asthma action plan helps you control your child’s asthma symptoms. It tells you what medicines your child needs to take and how often, as well as what to do if their symptoms get worse.

If your child was using one before they were diagnosed, now’s the time to ask your child’s GP or asthma nurse to update it if they need to.

If your child has not started using an action plan yet, you can find out more about them and download one here. Book an appointment with your child’s GP or asthma nurse so you can get their action plan filled in.

It’s important to get to know your child’s individual signs and symptoms so you can act quickly before things get worse.

Find out more about how to recognise when your child’s asthma symptoms are getting worse.

If anyone else cares for your child, make sure they know about your child’s asthma and what they need to do if your child has symptoms. You could share your child’s asthma action plan with them.

If your child is at school or nursery, it’s a good idea to have a spare reliever inhaler and spacer.

Find out more about leaving your child in other people’s care, or school and nursery.

We know that getting a diagnosis of asthma can bring a mix of emotions. You may feel relieved to have it confirmed after a few years. But you may also feel scared or sad because your child has a long-term condition.

We have lots of information to support you, from helping your child to use their inhalers, to keeping them safe at school and when doing sports. We also have advice on explaining asthma to your child.