If your child has asthma, it can seem like a constant battle of encouraging him or her to just be a kid and be active while staying protected from an asthma attack. It can be especially difficult if your child is a sports fanatic!

Having an asthma diagnosis shouldn’t be limiting to your child in most cases, though. By adapting and adjusting as needed, there is no reason why your child shouldn’t enjoy the sports he or she loves. Our team at AFC Urgent Care Greenwood wants to be your partner in this encouragement and offers some tips below!

How Can My Child Participate in Sports With Asthma?

The first goal of managing an asthma diagnosis is to make sure it is under control by lifestyle changes and medication. Once you feel confident with the diagnosis, there is no reason why any type of sport should not be encouraged.

Athletics help develop social skills, physical health and increases body confidence, so all children should be allowed to participate! If you want to start slow and encourage a lower-intensity sport first, we have outlined some great options below.

Lower-Intensity Sports

• Golf
• Baseball
• Biking
• Short-distance track and field events

There Are Some Sports Those With Asthma Can’t Play, Right?

Typically, no! There aren’t any sports that are a hard no when it comes to asthma. There are, however, sports that can be more difficult to participate in due to their minimal rest time. If your child is interested in endurance sports like cross country or soccer, just be aware that it might just require a bit more planning to play safely. Also, any outdoor sports can be more difficult during the colder months when the air is thinner.

Increased difficulty shouldn’t mean these types of sports are off limits, though! By encouraging a little extra training and being supportive of any adaptations that are needed, there is no reason why your child cannot pursue the sports that he or she is passionate about.

Tips for Those With Asthma

• Pack a scarf to breathe through when it gets cold outside.
• Always make sure to pack your inhaler or medications.
• Keep an eye on the pollen count and avoid high count days.
• Incorporate more warmup and cool-down exercises.

If you think your child’s asthma is getting worse, come see us at AFC Urgent Care Greenwood!