Older teenagers with asthma will need to take on new responsibilities as well when they move away from home and high school and into a new world such as a college campus. As a parent, there are several tips that you can tell your teen to keep in mind as he makes the transition:

• Have your teen tell his health care provider that he will be moving from home, and that he would like to coordinate the transfer of care to a new provider.

• Advise your teen to fill his prescriptions before he leaves, and have his physician call a local pharmacy with his prescription so he can continue to get refills while living away.

• Make copies of his personal asthma action plan that he can present to his campus health service, his resident director, and his roommate. (The plan should list medications being used and health care provider contact numbers.

• Request a non-smoking room and/or roommate, and avoid secondhand smoke since smoke is a common asthma trigger.

• If possible, try to get a dorm room that has wood or vinyl flooring rather than carpeting.

• Advise him to carry his inhaler at all times because he might run into unexpected conditions (such as cigarette smoke at a party) that might trigger his asthma symptoms.

• Become familiar with his on-campus health center — just in case he has to visit there if his asthma symptoms bother him.

• Make sure mattresses, box springs, and pillows are covered in airtight plastic or allergen-proof fabric covers.

Although it may seem counterintuitive to some students, cleanliness also will have to be a top priority when away from home. Your teen will need to completely clean the living area when moving in to guard against dust mites, mold, and cockroaches. And once in his new locale, he will need to take precautions — such as storing food in secure containers and cleaning the floor after meals — to make sure unwanted asthma triggers don't pay a visit.