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.

The first step: talking to your doctor

Your diagnosis will require a detailed account of your symptoms and habits, so it’s important that you’re comfortable with your doctor. Some teens would rather have a parent or family member with them in the exam room. Others feel better talking to the doctor on their own.

Before your appointment, discuss your preferences with your family. If necessary, try to find a compromise that lets them stay involved in your diagnosis and treatment (as they should be) while allowing you to maintain a certain amount of privacy. Many teens have found that having a parent or family member with them at the beginning and end of the visit — reserving time in between for some private doctor-patient conversation — works particularly well.

What’s involved in an asthma diagnosis?

An asthma diagnosis has three key components: a detailed medical history, a physical checkup, and lab tests for allergies and lung function. Before diagnosing asthma, your doctor will use these diagnostic tools to rule out other health problems that could be causing your symptoms.

Your medical history can tell your doctor a lot about the pattern of your symptoms. The two of you can also talk about the environmental factors, like the air at home or in school, that could be triggering asthma episodes or making them worse. Your doctor will ask you about:

• Your family history. Does anybody else at home have asthma?
• Your symptoms. What are they? When did they first start? When do they usually occur? What does a typical episode feel like? What seems to trigger an episode?
• Your physical environment at home and at school. Is there a lot of dust in your school? Do you have a pet at home?
• Your activities and personal habits. Do you play sports? Do you smoke?

That’s a lot of information to dig up in a hurry. It helps to start thinking about these questions now. By writing down the answers you won’t accidentally leave something out during your visit. Remember: the more information you provide, the better your treatment may be.

For questions about family medical history, your parents can help fill in the blanks. Ask if you can begin with this part of the medical history and then request some time alone with your doctor to answer the rest of the questions.

In most cases, what’s said between you and your health care provider is confidential. Ask your doctor about his or her confidentiality policy before you go into any details you may want to keep between the two of you. You can then discuss what information will be shared with your parents and how to address the issues that stay confidential. Always answer your doctor’s questions honestly, even if it’s embarrassing to you. The more completely you answer your doctor’s questions, the better he or she can evaluate your symptoms and prescribe the right treatment for you.

After taking a medical history, your health care provider will perform a physical exam and lab tests to assess your lung (pulmonary) function and determine if you have any allergies. The physical exam focuses on your airways, chest area, and skin. The lab tests may include blood and allergy tests, chest x-rays, and a lung function test called spirometry. In a spirometry test, you blow into a device (called a spirometer) that measures how much air is going into and out of your lungs when you breathe.

After the exam

Once the exam is over, it’s time to bring your family back into the loop. Your doctor will give you information about any medications or special care you may need. Your family will probably ask a lot of questions, and you should too. In fact, it’s a great idea to make a list of questions you might have before any doctor’s appointment. Bring that list with you so you don’t forget to ask something important. Make sure you understand your diagnosis and treatment options. If necessary, ask for instructions in writing, especially when emergency actions are needed. If you take the initiative from the start, you’re well on your way to successful asthma management.

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 22nd, 2007 at 1:59 am and is filed under Teens. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.