Have You Ever Heard of the Asthma Zones? | Covenant Allergy & Asthma

When your child has asthma, it’s natural to worry about every sniffle or wheeze. It’s our hope here at Covenant Allergy & Asthma that you might take comfort in the guidance of your child’s asthma action plan featuring color coded zones.

Don’t have an asthma action plan? We can help with that, too.

Typically, physicians use an asthma action plan for kids that is color-coded like a traffic light—something most children can understand from an early age. Luckily, the three asthma zones help parents, too.

There are even printable guides kids can use to share their symptoms with their caregivers like this one from Sesame Street.

What Are The Asthma Zones?

The Green Zone>> Green Is Good.
Just like green means go, the green zone is where we want our kids to be at all times. In the green zone, breathing is easy.

Your child has zero coughing or wheezing and can perform routine activities. He or she can sleep easy without coughing at night.

Even in the green zone, you’ll want to keep up with your child’s controller medication to help keep his or her asthma under better long-term control.

The Yellow Zone>> Let’s Use Caution.
In the yellow zone, your child is symptomatic, but not in acute danger. He or she may have some coughing or wheezing and shortness of breath. In addition, your child may report feeling tightness in the chest, have trouble completing regular activities, and wake up with trouble breathing at night.

With this zone, caution is key. Keep up the controller medications and also use any rescue medications as directed by your child’s physician.

Depending on your child’s individual situation and symptoms, the action plan will provide direction in the event that the medications aren’t getting your child back into that green zone.

The Red Zone>> Stop and Seek Medical Advice.
Yes, this is the danger zone. This is when your child is plagued by hard, fast and labored breathing.

Your child’s nostrils will typically flare wide, and his or her ribs will show as your child struggles to take in air. In the red zone, a child cannot speak or walk without significant impairment.

Give your child meds as instructed, but also call your child’s physician promptly if he or she is in the red zone. If your child’s symptoms become severe, call 911.

Covenant Allergy & Asthma is here to help you and your whole family get back to the green zone and breathe better. Give us a call to schedule an appointment, or visit us online to learn more about our services.