No one fully understands what is going on. What is understood, however, is that kids are different from adults. They don't want to be viewed as 'sick' or 'weak'. They want to be perceived as athletic, healthy and strong. Our research has shown that the adolescent asthmatic may begin to feel left out, when, for instance, they can't spend the night with friends because there may be a cat or something else in their friends' homes that could trigger an asthma attack.
Prevention is the key.
She encourages parents to ask questions to help identify the stressors in their asthmatic child's life. She also advises parents to consider day camps or weeklong camps for children with asthma. At camp, the kids have the opportunity to interact with peers who have asthma and with professionals to learn more about their disease and how to cope with it.