Researchers have found that parents are waiting to treat their children’s asthma attacks – even when they can tell that an attack is about to occur.

Results of the study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine make it clear that parents are missing the chance to stop an attack in its tracks, thus reducing the severity of an episode and also preventing trips to the emergency room.

The study looked at children ages 2 through 12 who had been to an emergency room for asthma or had contacted the St Louis Children’s Hospital After Hours Call Center. Parents were surveyed for how they knew an asthma attack was coming on and what they did.

The results indicate that parents did not seem to know that giving albuterol at the earliest sign of a problem could help to avoid a trip to ER. In some cases, parents were following the doctor’s instructions for administering the drug, which included waiting until the child is wheezing or coughing or short of breath.

Another issue identified by researchers is that some parents did not notice a problem until it had seriously progressed. In some cases, steroid drugs were not being used regularly.

A follow up study is underway to determine if changes are needed in drug usage instructions, parental education on early signs of an attack, or other self-management behaviors.

Source: Science Daily