Asthma symptoms are like the weather—they change often and may seem unpredictable. But also like the weather, careful tracking of asthma symptoms can help identify patterns and what they may say about your asthma.

Many factors affect asthma control.  Treating asthma problems early can prevent asthma attacks. An asthma action plan provides specific instructions for early treatment of asthma symptoms.  It also provides guidelines for calling the doctor or going to the emergency room.  All asthma patients should have an asthma action plan to follow at home.  Children should also have an asthma action plan on file at daycare, school and extracurricular activities/sports. The plan should be reviewed during follow-up office visits and revised as needed.

Asthma action plans can be organized in a number of ways. Your asthma action plan may include:

• A list of asthma triggers that are responsible for asthma symptoms and how to avoid them
• A list of peak flow meter readings and zones based on the person's personal best reading
• A list of routine asthma symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, and excess mucus production, as well as what you should do if these symptoms occur
• The name and dose of the daily asthma medication that needs to be taken even when you don't have asthma symptoms
• The name and dose of the quick-acting or rescue medication that needs to be taken when you develop asthma symptoms
• The name and dose of the reliever medication that needs to be taken when you are having an asthma attack
• Emergency telephone numbers and locations of emergency care
• Instructions about when to contact the doctor, whom to call if the doctor is unavailable, and a list of where to get emergency asthma treatment.

With your asthma specialist you can work out a written plan to follow, like this sample from the Mayo Clinic.

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