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By listing your child’s date of birth, AsthmaKidCare™ is able to provide you and your child with age-specific information, tips, and resources.

Controller vs Rescue Medicines

There are two kinds of childhood asthma treatments: controller (preventive) and rescue (quick-relief).

Kinds of Asthma Treatment	Most Often Prescribed For	How the Medicine Works	When the Medicine Is Administered
Controller (preventive/ maintenance)	Regular long-term use, which helps reduce symptoms and can help prevent asthma attacks	Helps to prevent symptoms that can lead to attacks on an ongoing basis; not intended to provide quick relief from sudden symptoms	Used as a maintenance or preventive medicine to avoid asthma symptoms
Rescue (quick-relief)	Short-term use for acute asthma symptoms and attacks	Provides quick relief from sudden symptoms; not intended to provide long-term control of asthma	Used when symptoms occur and during an attack to treat sudden asthma symptoms

Childhood asthma treatment options

Controller (preventive or maintenance) medicine helps keep symptoms from occurring by treating the underlying causes of asthma in your child’s airways. That is why it is important to give your child his or her controller (preventive) medicine regularly, just as the doctor has prescribed. This may mean giving it even when symptoms seem to be silent or disappear, but it is important to do so to help provide long-term control of your child’s asthma. Never discontinue or reduce the dose of your child’s controller medicine without first talking to the doctor.

Rescue (quick-relief) medicine is used to provide quick relief from sudden asthma attacks. It works by temporarily relaxing and opening air passages in the lungs. While rescue medicine is very important, it is not meant to be used daily. It is important to talk to your doctor if you are giving your child rescue medicine more than twice a week.

To continue to educate yourself and others, download Controller & Rescue: Know the Difference (PDF – 356KB).