Your red, yellow, and green asthma action plan

Suzanne Berman, M.D.

Treatment of your child's asthma is based on his or her daily peak flows. Read our asthma information pages and our page on how to do peak flows for more information on why we do peak flows.

Your child's expected best or personal best peak flow is: _______________.

If today's peak flow is above ______________, you're in the green zone. ( > 80% of personal best.)
Good job! You should be in this zone every day or nearly every day. Today's plan is:

Continue your daily preventive medications as prescribed:
- Your inhaled steroid with spacer/chamber: ___________________ puffs _______ a day
- Your by-mouth anti-inflammatory tablet: _______________________ once a day
- Your inhaled anti-inflammatory with spacer/chamber: _________________ puffs _______ a day
You don't need to use your albuterol today.

If today's peak flow is between ___________ and ___________, you're in the yellow zone. (60-80% of personal best.)
Watch out. You may be coming down with a cold virus or might have been around something that triggered your asthma. Today's plan is:

Use your albuterol today. At first, use 2 puffs and repeat 2 more puffs in 30 minutes. If you are feeling short of breath or coughing a lot, or if your peak flow doesn't improve to your green zone, you can continue use the albuterol as often as every 4-6 hours. If you need the albuterol more than every four hours to get relief, call us immediately and go to the red zone plan.
Continue your daily preventive medications as prescribed, the same as in the green zone.
If this is the third day in a row (or more) you've been in the yellow zone, call us at the office to let your doctor know. Depending on the circumstances, we might like to see you in the office, or give you additional instructions for home care.

If today's peak flow is below _________, you're in the red zone. ( < 60% of personal best.)
This is an asthma attack. Today's plan is:

Immediately use your albuterol. Use 2 puffs at first, then use 2 more puffs in 30 minutes.
After giving the albuterol, be seen by a doctor immediately.
- If it is a weekday during our usual office hours, call us. Tell our receptionist that you need a "Red Zone" asthma appointment, and we will see you right away.
- If our office is closed, or if you are out of town, you will probably need to be seen in the local hospital's emergency room. Please let our office know that you are going to the ER.
Continue your daily preventive medications as prescribed, the same as in the green zone.