Record Keeping: Asthma Diary
Just like you may write numbers in your checkbook register to remind yourself of how much you've spent or deposited, you or your child should consider using an asthma diary to record items such as peak flow readings or symptoms. (See Chapter 10.)
It can become a very valuable tool in self-management — showing what medicine was taken and when or if peak flow rates fluctuated over the course of weeks and months. It can also note if you had to contact your health professional or seek emergency care.
It also can help pinpoint trouble spots. Perhaps your child visited a friend who has cats or rode in the car of an aunt who smokes, and the diary indicates a drop in her peak flow rate or additional use of a quick-relief medication. These may be signs of possible triggers that she may have to avoid.
Essential
It's helpful to pick two points in the day — usually morning and evening — to record data in an asthma diary. It can be done in any number of ways — in a notebook, on a calendar, on a sheet of paper, or even on a computerized spreadsheet.
Also, free interactive diaries are becoming available on the Internet to keep track of symptoms, medicines, and quality of life. For instance, the National Jewish Medical and Research Center (
