My Life as an Asthma Mom

Is asthma holding you back from the things you would like to do?  When I am teaching families about asthma, I help them to understand the Rules of 2's.    Many times, they THINK their asthma is fine. But they're really not controlled.  The Rules of 2's is from Baylor University in Texas and says: If you: Have symptoms/need your inhaler more than 2 times per week Wake up due to asthma more than 2 times per month Refill your rescue inhaler more than 2 times per year They have also added a new measure, "Measure your peak flow at less than two times 10 (20%) from baseline with asthma symptoms?" That sounds a little confusing! Why make a big deal about your asthma being under control? Well, are you missing out on things because of your asthma?  Sometimes people may think, "I'm okay, I'm just having a little flare up." So, another thing I ask families is:  "Is asthma holding you back?" Or  ...

The weather has been a little crazy lately.  Some parts of the U.S. are dry as a bone and plagued by wildfires and dangerous smoke. Other areas of the U.S. are being battered by hurricanes, with crazy winds, rain and flooding. No matter what part of the country you are in, how do you prepare when you have asthma? I have been watching the national news stories on TV, showing empty shelves at the grocery store and long lines at the gas stations.  Like my late father-in-law always used to say, "It costs just as much to fill up the top half of the gas tank as it does the bottom half!" So, I try not to wait until my gas tank is on "empty" before I fill up. In fact, I know people that will fill up when their tank gets to the 1/2 way point.   Allergy & Asthma Network has a list of things to help.  Stay on your schedule for taking medicine (it's easy to miss a dose, but can cause problems if you do) Medications - quick reli...

I was really excited to see a story on the Allergy & Asthma Facebook page about a nose spray for anaphylaxis. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has given "Fast Track designation" to a Epinephrine Nasal Spray, which could be used to treat anaphylaxis. The Fast Track is:  "....a process designed to facilitate the development, and expedite the review of drugs to treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need. The purpose is to get important new drugs to the patient earlier. Fast Track addresses a broad range of serious conditions." How do they decide if something is "serious"? It depends on if the FDA feels that the drug will:  "have an impact on such factors as survival, day-to-day functioning, or the likelihood that the condition, if left untreated, will progress from a less severe condition to a more serious one." For those of you with food allergies, you know that if "left untreated",...