THE GREEN ZONE: All is good – go play!

A child in the “Green Zone”

• Does not need “reliever” medicine, OR uses it only 1 or 2 times a week
• Does not cough or wheeze during the day or night
• Sleeps soundly most nights
• Wakes up at night no more than 2 times a month from asthma

Each Day:  Use “controller” or maintenance medicine, even if the child shows no breathing problems.

Before Exercise:  Use “reliever” medicine 5 to 15 minutes before exercise.

YELLOW ZONE: Use Reliever Medication

If your child shows ANY of these signs, use reliever medicine right away. Keep using the “controller” medicine, too.

Yellow Zone Signs:

• Wheezing or whistling when breathing – hard time breathing
• Chest feels tight
• Coughing and breathing problems make it hard to sleep

CALL YOUR CHILD’S CLINIC and ask to talk to a doctor or nurse if:

• Breathing problems last for more than 1 day
• You need reliever medicine 3 or more times in 1 day
• Breathing does not get better 20 minutes after using reliever medicine
• Child is using reliever medication for symptoms more than 2 days/week.

RED ZONE: Get medical help!

If a child has even one of these RED ZONE signs

• Help them use 2-4 puffs of reliever medicine every 5 minutes
  

AND

• Get to the nearest hospital.

Red Zone Signs:

• Ribs show when breathing
• Hard time walking
  
• Hard time saying a full sentence without a breath
  
• Hard time breathing even when sitting
  
• Breathing gets worse within 20 minutes of taking reliever medicine

Call 911

• Lips or fingernails are gray or blue
  
• Breathing so hard that the child is drowsy or sleepy