Asthma in young people | Right Decisions

This section has been written for teenagers to read with their parents or carers.

Things can be tough enough when you are going through adolescence and you may feel like having asthma makes things worse. It's normal if that makes you feel anxious or depressed.

If you do feel anxious or depressed, you should speak to your GP or asthma nurse. You can also find information from Asthma and Lung UK’s website.

Your school can work with you to help control your asthma. It’s important that you keep your school up-to-date with changes in your medication, for example what you take and how much.

As you get older, your healthcare professional will encourage you to take more responsibility for your asthma by seeing you on your own, without your parents or carers, for part of the time. Your conversation will be private and will not be discussed with your parents or family unless you would like them to know about it or if the healthcare professional has concerns about your safety.

Your written personal asthma action plan, developed between you and your healthcare professional, allows you to take control of your asthma by taking responsibility and making some choices for yourself.

Answering the questions below will help you and your healthcare professional know you’re able to manage your asthma and look after yourself.

Can you tell what things make your asthma worse?
What medicines do you take for it?
Do you know how to recognise an asthma attack?
Do you know what to do if you have an asthma attack?
Do you know how each medicine helps you?
How easy is it to remember to take your medicine?
Do you have a plan that helps you remember to take your medicine?
How do you describe your asthma?
When you need to see your healthcare professional, how do you arrange to do this?
If you can’t keep an appointment with your healthcare professional, do you know how to cancel it?
How do you make sure you arrange new prescriptions before your medicine runs out?

There are specific things you can do to stay healthy and in control of your asthma. Managing asthma might seem challenging, but understanding your condition and making informed choices can make a big difference.

Recommendation based on the research evidence

It’s important that you do the following.

Avoid smoking or vaping (as this can increase the risk of asthma attacks, damage your airways and reduce the benefits of your asthma medicines). If you vape or smoke, talk to your healthcare professional about quitting. They can give you advice and connect you with NHS stop-smoking services to help you quit.
Talk to your healthcare professional about your career plans so you can learn how to manage asthma triggers at work. Some jobs can make asthma worse because of the things you might be exposed to like dust, chemicals or allergens.
Let your healthcare professional know if you don’t use your inhaler in public or at school because you feel awkward. They can help find ways to make it easier for you to manage your asthma in these situations.

Don’t be afraid to discuss with your healthcare professional or parents about how you feel if any of these issues concern you.

How does self-management help you stay in control?

Self-management means having a clear plan for how to take care of your asthma.

Your doctor will work with you to create a personal asthma action plan that includes:

when to take your medicine
what to do if your symptoms get worse
what to do in case of an asthma attack
ways to avoid your asthma triggers, like air pollution or smoke.

This plan is designed just for you, so it’s important to review it regularly, especially after a hospital visit or at your yearly asthma check-up.

How can you make sure your personal asthma action plan is working for you?

Recommendation based on the research evidence

It's important to regularly review your personal asthma action plan to make sure it works for you and you can follow it. This plan helps you manage your asthma day-to-day and shows you what to do if your symptoms get worse.

Recommendation based on the research evidence

You should go over your personal asthma action plan:

if you’re admitted to the hospital
if you’re admitted to a virtual ward (a service where you are monitored at home but still under care)
after a visit to your healthcare professional, emergency department, or urgent care centre
during your annual asthma check-up.

At these times, your healthcare professional will check that your plan still fits your needs and that you know how to use it properly.

What should you do if your symptoms get worse?

If your symptoms get worse, follow your personal asthma action plan and contact your healthcare professional as soon as possible to review your treatment.

What if you need extra support?

Recommendation based on the research evidence

If you’re struggling to control your asthma, your personal asthma action plan should also remind you to contact a healthcare professional for advice. Different strategies can help with asthma care, like:

alerts or reminders to schedule regular asthma reviews
support healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, and community pharmacists
receiving educational resources by email or post
regular phone calls to check how you’re doing and offer support
using apps or websites to monitor your asthma.

How can you be more involved in your care?

Recommendation based on the research evidence

To stay in control of your asthma, it’s important to be involved in your own care. Make sure you understand how your treatment works, what to do in case of an emergency, and how to adjust your medication when needed. This will help you take better care of yourself.

By staying on top of your personal asthma action plan and staying in touch with your healthcare team, you can stay in control of your asthma and lead an active life.

Complementary therapies and devices

Some people like to consider complementary therapies as a way to treat medical conditions such as asthma. You should never use them instead of the treatments your healthcare professional recommends. Always tell your healthcare professional if you’re thinking of using any complementary therapies.

How will your asthma care change as you get older?

If you are under the care of a specialist, as you get older the health services you need will change. Moving from services for children to services for adults is called a ‘transfer’. The period of planning, transfer, and the support you have afterwards is called ‘transition’. You will become more involved in managing your asthma.

The people who provide your care and support should talk to you and your parents or carers about your transition. This should happen early and before you transfer so you have time to really think about what you want. To make this easier, there should be a clear plan about what should happen. You, your family, carers and other people who help manage your asthma should be involved in the decisions about how and when you will move from child services to adult services.