How to care for an acute asthma attack

  In an acute asthma attack, the child holds his breath, lacks oxygen, cannot cough up sputum, and thus is restless, irritable, and even has a sense of near death. The first task of nursing care is to comfort the patient and stabilize the mood. The child can be put in a sitting or semi-sitting position to reduce the resistance of the respiratory muscles in the chest, thus making breathing feel smooth.  In order to reduce the fatigue of prolonged sitting, a small table can be placed on the bed with soft pillows so that the patient can rest or sleep on the pillows. The patient should be carefully observed for changes in condition, the number and rhythm of respiration and pulse per minute, the presence of cyanosis and sweating, and be ready to be sent to the hospital.  The room should be quiet, the air should be fresh and warm, and the humidity should be maintained. In winter, the windows should be opened regularly to circulate the air, and a humidifier can be put in the room to moisten the air. Eat a light, easy-to-digest liquid or semi-liquid diet, eat more fruits and avoid foods that trigger asthma attacks, such as seafood, shrimp and crab.  If constipation occurs, take honey water or laxative medicine.  Parents should be familiar with the dose and method of medication used by the child and assist the child with the medication in a timely manner. Pat the back gently from time to time to assist in sputum removal. Keep the airway open and remove nasal secretions in a timely manner. Pay attention to oral hygiene, as the child often breathes with the mouth open during an attack, so every 5-10 minutes, feed some warm water to keep the oral mucosa moist.