If your child has asthma, you want the best care possible so your child doesn't have to sit on the sidelines and miss out on an active childhood. If he or she has mild or moderate asthma, the symptoms may be easy to control so your child can be active in school and sports. One thing that might help is to get treatment from an allergy and asthma specialist. Here's how this type of doctor can benefit your child.

Uncover Your Child's Allergy Triggers

A variety of substances and situations can trigger an asthma attack. When you know what the triggers are, you can help your child avoid them to reduce the frequency of attacks. Your asthma and allergy specialist may do skin testing or blood testing to determine the allergens your child should avoid. Your child might have a specific trigger such as cat hair or they could be allergic to a number of things such as mold, several types of pollen, and dust mites.

Give Your Child Allergy Shots

Immunotherapy, or allergy shots, can desensitize your child to the things that cause an allergic reaction. These shots are spread out over a period of years. They are given less frequently and the doses get higher as time progresses. The shots can reduce the number of asthma attacks your child has and the shots may even eliminate some allergic reactions. Allergy shots have different effects for different kids and different effects for different types of allergens, so your child's asthma doctor will determine if immunotherapy is a good option.

Prescribe Asthma Medication For Your Child

When your child has asthma, they may be on several medications depending on how bad their attacks are and how often they happen. Some medication is taken daily to prevent an attack and others are taken to lessen the effect of an attack when it begins. Your child might take oral medication and inhalers, and the type of medication and dosage will probably need adjusted as your child grows. Asthma can be difficult to control sometimes, so following the instructions of your child's doctor when it comes to a medication schedule is important.

A vital component of controlling asthma is to prevent an attack from happening. An attack that causes your child to wheeze and struggle to breathe is a frightening experience for your child and your entire family. Your child could be hospitalized frequently until the asthma is brought under control, so working closely with an allergy service with a goal toward prevention and effective treatment is important for your child's health and well-being.