Do you like your doctor? That’s great. Let him or her know. On the other hand, do you have problems with your doctor? While that’s not so great, you’ve still got to let him or her — or at least your parents — know. The key to working successfully with your doctor is good communication. The fact is, your ability to exchange information with your doctor can mean the difference between being wheezy or well.

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You’ve had a nagging cough and trouble breathing for a few weeks now. Is it just a cold or is it asthma? The only way to find out for sure is to get a diagnosis from your health care provider. Here’s what you can expect during that first doctor’s visit, and how you can work with your doctor — and your family — to make sure you get the proper diagnosis and the best treatment.

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Ever wonder if you’re getting the right amount of inhaler medicine? Using a metered dose inhaler by itself isn’t necessarily the best way to get the correct dose into your lungs. That’s why your doctor gave you a spacer. The Allergy & Asthma Center at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, offers these general instructions for using a spacer with your inhaler:

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Researchers have found that exercise can trigger symptoms in as many as nine out of ten children with asthma. Does that mean a child with asthma can’t exercise safely? Absolutely not. It means asthma needs to be controlled, so the child can participate fully in everyday active play, exercise, and even team sports. The myth of the miserable asthmatic child sitting on the sidelines is just that — a myth.

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“Can I try out for the softball team?”

If you are the parent of a child whose asthma is triggered by exercise, answering this simple question may make you nervous. Can softball be risky? Is there adequate adult supervision? Does the coach know enough to spot an emergency? Will my child be safe?

These are normal concerns for the parent of a child who has exercise-induced asthma (EIA). Keep in mind that most parents have similar concerns about their child’s safety. You may have felt some of the same fears on the first day of preschool. It might help you to know that kids with asthma can exercise safely as long as their asthma is under control.

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Are you a hard-core athlete, hitting the track every morning? Or do you only play pick-up games on weekends? Maybe you consider walking around the mall a major workout. No matter how much or how little exercise you’re used to, asthma doesn’t have to affect your level of physical activity, according to the National Institutes of Health. You should expect to be just as active living with asthma as you were before being diagnosed.

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