There are two basic kinds of medication: Control drugs, to prevent attacks and quick-relief drugs for use during attacks (see your doctor) and quick-relief drugs such as short-acting bronchodilators (inhalers), such as Proventil, Ventolin and Xopenex.

Your doctor may even prescribe oral steroids (corticosteroids) if you have an attack that is not going away.

Identify the substances that trigger your symptoms and control airway inflammation. Start a plan with your doctor.

This may involve covering bedding with allergy-proof sheets to reduce exposure to dust mites or removing carpets from bedrooms and vacuuming regularly. You may have to use unscented detergents and cleaning materials.

Most importantly do not let people smoke indoors. Even smoke residue on a smoker’s hair and clothes can trigger symptoms in the vulnerable.

Recent studies carried out among Maltese households implied that, although parents followed advice to remove mite-harbouring blankets from their children’s bedrooms, in about half of the households youngsters were unwittingly passive smokers.

Take a peak flow reading of your lung capacity. A peak flow meter is a simple device to masure how quickly you can move air in and out of your airways.

You blow into it. A reading of 50 – 80 percent of a person’s best results is a sign of a moderate asthma attack. Values below 50 per cent show a severe attack.