ASTHMA

RECOGNITION

■ Difficulty in breathing, especially
breathing out
There may be:
 ■ Wheezing - a whistling sound made while breathing as a result of obstruction in the air passage.
 ■ Difficulty speaking
 ■ Gray-blue coloring in skin, lips,
earlobes, and nailbeds
In a severe attack:
 ■ Exhaustion and possible loss
of consciousness

WHAT TO DO

Step 1
HELP CASUALTY USE INHALER
Keep calm and reassure the casualty. Help her find and use her inhaler (it is usually blue or white); use a spacer device if she has one. The inhaler should take effect within minutes.

Step 2
ENCOURAGE SLOW BREATHS
Help the casualty into a comfortable breathing position; sitting slightly forward is best. Tell her to breathe slowly and deeply.
A mild attack should ease within a few minutes. If it does not, ask the casualty to take another dose from her inhaler.

Step 3
CALL FOR EMERGENCY HELP
Locate and call in the nearest hospital to you for emergency help (using Emraid Finder) if the inhaler has no effect, breathlessness makes talking difficult, or the casualty is becoming exhausted.
You can locate and call in a hospital around

CAUTION

■ Do not let the casualty lie down.
■ Do not leave the casualty
alone because the attack
may quickly worsen.
■ If this is a first attack and she
has no medication, Locate and call in the nearest hospital to you for emergency help immediately (using Emraid Finder).