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Hospital for Children

Pediatric Asthma Program

Pediatric Asthma Program | Asthma Basics | Asthma Triggers | Asthma Management | Asthma Resource Numbers | Asthma Action Plan

Asthma Management

Examples of Controller medicines include:

  • Advair ®
  • AeroBid ®
  • Azmacort ®
  • Flovent ®
  • Pulmicort ®
  • QVar ®
  • Singulair ®

There are two kinds of Asthma Medicines:

Controller (EVERYDAY) Medicines

Quick-Relief (AS NEEDED) Medicines

Call your primary care doctor if you need your Quick-Relief (AS NEEDED) medicines more than twice in a week or if you need to use it more than twice in one hour.

You should see your primary care provider at least every 3 months.

Examples of Quick-Relief medicines include:

  • Albuterol ®
  • MaxAir ®
  • Proventil ®
  • Ventolin ®
  • Xopenex ®

How to Use an Inhaler & Spacer

  1. Remove the caps from the inhaler and the spacer.
  2. Check that nothing is inside the plastic case.
  3. Attach the inhaler to the spacer.
  4. Shake the inhaler (with spacer attached).
  5. Breathe out normally.
  6. Hold the inhaler in your mouth.
  7. Press inhaler once to release the medicine just as you begin to inhale.
  8. Continue to inhale slowly (over about 5 seconds) until your lungs are full.
  9. Remove inhaler and hold breath for 10 seconds. Then breathe out normally.
  10. Wait 1 - 3 minutes before taking additional puffs.
  11. Rinse your mouth with water.

If you are unable to hold your breath, use a mask with spacer and take six breaths (in and out) through mouth for each puff.


This page was last updated on: March 21, 2008.

For more information about UMHC or to make an appointment, please call
1-800-492-5538 (patients) or 1-800-373-4111 (physicians).