Preventers help protect the airways. They make asthma symptoms less likely. Other treatments such as long lasting relievers and preventer tablets are also available. For more information, see our booklet Take Control of Asthma . Your child should take their reliever as soon as asthma symptoms appear.
Relievers work quickly to relax the muscles around the narrowed airways.
This allows the airways to open wider making it easier to breathe again. Children with asthma need to keep their relievers with them or close at hand at all times. You never know when they might need it. They will probably just need a reliever inhaler. However, if your child is using a reliever more than once or twice a day or three or four times a week, this means their asthma is not under control.