Cockroaches, not only one of the most reviled pests of all time, also give asthmatics trouble. Their feces and presence incites symptoms. Something less provocative but no less dangerous for people living with asthma are symptom triggers. These are things that don t usually cause the inflammation that lead to full blown attacks, but can incite clogged airways, not helping the already inflamed passageways. Different sufferers have different medication but generally you have a preventive inhaler that works long term, and an emergency inhaler that opens the airways in an attack this is called the quick relief. Long-term inhalers help to prevent attacks and make them milder in the long term. However if you are having an attack you need the emergency inhaler that will open your airways and let you breath more easily. Symptoms in a young child Symptoms of a cold causing wheezing where there is no other explanation. A dry nighttime cough, shortness of breath after exertion such as crawling, walking or playing. Minimizing the triggers By removing the triggers as much as possible, it will help make attacks less likely things that can help trigger an attack are dust mites, pollen, fur, and smoke. Your reliever inhaler is used no more than four times a week for symptoms (save prior to physical exertion) and all else with your breathing is well. In the green zone is equivalent to your asthma being totally under control. If you're on controller medication, continue to take those until you're doctor says you can stop. Learning how to breathe with asthma isn t as hard as it may seem at first. You may learn that you have to try to eliminate pet dander and dust mites in your home and that sounds like a whole lot of work. Living with asthma is much easier when you do this, however, and it s as easy as regularly washing and cleaning fabrics inside the home. If someone in the home has asthma, make the environment as clean and breathing-friendly as possible. Eliminating smoke is one very important step in making living with asthma no big deal at all. Being smoke-free actually helps everyone breathe a little easier in the home, not just people who live with asthma.