Perhaps you feel a little tightness in the chest when you strain yourself, or you cough a little too much, a little too often. The actual diagnosis of asthma is something much greater than just a little coughing and should be taken very seriously. There are many types of asthma but the medical definition is "a disease of the windpipe (bronchial tubes) which carry air to and from the lungs. 2) Ways to keep your own asthma under control by avoiding individual triggers, keeping out of contact with recurring stressors, and upping the overall quality of your life. 3) Preparation of an action plan with realizable goals for you and hopes of tamping down your symptoms. 4) Schedule visits at regular intervals to monitor your progress. To make living with asthma a breath of fresh air, you ll want to talk with other asthma suffers, and learn all you can about your condition. Communicating with others is a good way to learn what you can do to make living with asthma pain-free and stress-free for everyone, including those people who live in the home that don t suffer from asthma. Children Pre- school children obviously need help with managing their medication, and an adult must give it to them till they learn how themselves. Even so mum or dad should routinely check to make sure they are keeping the medication in check. Never treat a child with asthma different to their siblings for fear you will cause an attack as this could cause problems in the family with sibling resentment. It would be nice if your teen could meet other young people suffering with asthma, so they can swap stories, develop friendships and support each other. A lot of teenagers do not understand exactly what asthma is so explain to them in detail. Many do not understand that asthma is not just a sudden wheeze or coughing bout, but is active 24/7. Benefits of exercise include: - Heart/Lung efficiency - Strength/endurance - Flexibility/posture - Ability to relax while at rest You should always talk to your doctor if you are unsure whether the asthma symptoms are exercise-induced or not. Some things to remember: - Take medication before beginning exercise, if advisable - Always warm up before exercising and cool down after - Build up, in a deliberate manner, an exercise program you re comfortable with - Stop and rest at the first sign of symptoms - Know the environment you are most sensitive to and avoid those areas Exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle.