When Asthma and Eczema Happen Together in Children: Key Points for Home Management

Key points for home management

• Skin: moisturise generously every day, avoid getting too hot and sweaty and avoid scratching, and use medicines as your doctor advises
• Airways: use controller medicines regularly as planned, and make sure you know how to use the inhaler device correctly
• Environment: wash bedding regularly, and reduce house dust mite, smoke and irritating smells
• Records: note skin and breathing symptoms together, so it is easier to judge at follow-up visits

Everyday things that often go wrong

Bath water that is too hot, too many clothes causing sweating, bedding that is not washed for a long time, letting a cold drag on without treatment, and only using medicines when symptoms are obvious are all common triggers. It helps to make moisturising and taking medicines part of a fixed daily routine, rather than relying on remembering them at the last minute.

When to see a doctor

You should see a doctor as soon as possible if there is large-area weeping on the skin that affects sleep, or frequent coughing at night, shortness of breath after activity, or relief medicines becoming less effective. If speaking becomes difficult, the lips turn blue, or breathing is rapid, call 120 (the emergency number in China) right away.

This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Please follow your doctor's instructions.