Ever used a peak flow meter? It’s a device that measures how much you can exhale, indicating how well you’re breathing. When it comes to talking to your family about asthma, you need to become sort of a human peak flow meter, giving regular updates on your symptoms. If this sounds like an challenge, well, it is. But good communication is key to getting your family to understand what you’re going through. Good communication also ensures that you receive all the help you need.

Here’s a rundown of the peak flow approach to talking to your family about asthma.

The green zone

When you’re in the green zone, your asthma is under control and you feel fine. This is a great time to tell your family (and your doctor) that your asthma management plan is working — and to ask if you can try out for the swim team. Many parents of teens with asthma worry that physical activity will make symptoms worse, so they try to protect their teens from getting involved in sports or other activities, such as the marching band. The more you can show them that your asthma is under control, the more likely they may be to let you try new things. Remember: with successful asthma management, you can do anything your friends can. If necessary, ask your doctor to provide written guidelines for physical activity, so your family can feel more confident giving you the green light.

The yellow zone

Like traffic lights, yellow zones mean caution. Your breathing is more difficult, and you’re more likely to have an episode. When you enter the yellow zone, tell your family so they can be on alert in case of an emergency. If you were planning a hike with friends, let your family know that since you’re at a higher risk for an episode, you’ve decided not to go. (If you’re thinking about going anyway, imagine your friends at the top of every hill, waiting as you wheeze your way through an asthma episode. Not fun.) The great thing about telling your folks is that you’ll get big points for managing asthma on your own. Parents and guardians, especially, will give you credit for making a mature decision and — this is a plus — will be less likely to worry when you go hiking (or do something else with your friends) some other time.

The red zone

If you’re in the red zone, you’re really in the danger zone. You shouldn’t be in the red zone too often. If you are, tell your doctor — you may need to adjust your asthma management plan. If you don’t already have an asthma action plan, ask your doctor for one. An asthma action plan gives you step-by-step instructions for handling an asthma episode. The plan should also tell you the peak flow level that indicates it’s time to get emergency medical care.

If you’re in the red zone, your family needs to know, either to help you follow your asthma action plan or, if necessary, to take you to the emergency room. But many teens are concerned that by involving their families, they may be worrying them unnecessarily. For this reason, teens sometimes wait until the absolute last moment before they ask for help from their families — and many have waited until it was too late.

Some teens have the opposite problem: they’re afraid their family won’t believe them when they say they need help. Strangely enough, this may happen when other family members have asthma. They don’t understand why you can’t just take a few puffs on an inhaler — after all, it always works for them.

It’s important to emphasize that everyone is different, and what may help one person may not work for someone else. If you’re having trouble getting family members to take your asthma symptoms seriously, your best bet is to educate your family about peak flow zones and what they mean. That way, when you’re in the red zone, you can offer concrete proof that you’re in trouble and need help.

Talking to your family about asthma can be hard sometimes, but it’s always important. Whether you’re feeling good or bad, keeping family members informed about your asthma symptoms is an essential asthma management tool.

This entry was posted on Friday, June 29th, 2007 at 6:38 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.