Children diagnosed with asthma or allergies face many challenges, including learning about their disorder, ways to treat it, and how to live without feeling singled out or “different” among peers. Parents and other adults can play an important role in helping children adjust to the reality of having a chronic, but controllable, illness.

The most important contribution an adult can make is to offer love and support to the child. Children are bound to have many questions about their disorder, and are likely to experience fears and uncertainty related to their diagnosis. Adults can help children to overcome their fears by openly and honestly discussing various aspects of the disease with the child.

Parents can also help children to feel more in control of their allergies or asthma by encouraging them to take responsibility for the care and management of their condition. When children are young, this may include simple lessons such as teaching them to use an inhaler on their own, or providing easy–to–understand explanations of the physiology behind their condition.

As children progress into their teen years, they may be given increasing responsibilities for their own care. At some point, teens should be able to assume almost full control in the management of their disorder, with parents or pediatricians stepping in to assist when necessary.

Most of all, parents must strike a balance between encouraging their children not to live in fear of their asthma and allergies, while also emphasizing the need to stay vigilant in monitoring and treating the disease.