Encouraging your children to participate in athletics and sports is a great way to develop a lifelong love of exercise. But what if your child has an asthma diagnosis? It can be hard to encourage exercise when you know that exertion could trigger an attack.

Thankfully, having asthma doesn’t mean that your child can’t participate in sports! By adapting and being flexible with your child’s unique situation, you can support any activity he or she chooses to do. Our knowledgeable crew at AFC Urgent Care Powdersville treats a lot of asthma cases, and we offer some positive encouragement below!

Is It Safe To Let My Child Participate in a Sport If She Has Asthma?

Most of the time, it is safe to let your child play. As long as the asthma is under control or managed by a reliable dosage of medication, there is really no reason why your child can’t at least try whatever sports excite him or her.

Athletics develop a variety of life skills as well as support a healthy weight, so it is crucial to let our kids get out and play! In fact, physical activity can be beneficial for those who have asthma. If you are still hesitant, some lower-intensity sports can be a great introduction to sports participation.

Asthma-Friendly Sports

• Golf
• Baseball or softball
• Biking
• Short-distance track and field events

Are Endurance Sports OK for Someone Who Has Asthma?

While your children should be able to choose to participate in whatever sports excite them, there are some sports that may need to be managed differently if your child chooses to participate in them. Sports like cross country and soccer that have minimal rest time can be troublesome to children with asthma, as well as any outdoor sports during the colder months as the air is quite a bit thinner.

Even though participating in these sports may require some additional planning on your part, that doesn’t mean that your child can’t try them! Just be sure to be flexible with any plans and ensure your child is provided proper training and reliable medication.

Tips for Managing Asthma

• Have a scarf handy to breathe through when the temperature drops.
• Keep up to date with necessary medications and always have them on hand.
• Avoid any days where the pollen count is high.
• Utilize more time to warm up and cool down surrounding your activity.

If you think your child’s asthma is getting worse, come see us at AFC Urgent Care Powdersville!