A peak flow meter is a device that measures how well a person is able to push air out of the lungs. Monitoring your child's breathing with a peak flow meter can help you and your child's doctor assess how open the airways are and help determine whether your child's asthma is acting up.

• A score of 80 percent or better of your child's best peak flow meter reading usually means your child's lung function is good.
• A score between 50 percent and 80 percent means you need to carefully monitor how well your child feels.
• A score below 50 percent indicates you should follow your child's Asthma Action Plan and seek medical attention immediately.

Your child's doctor can help you create an Asthma Action Plan based in part on these peak flow meter readings. He or she will explain how your child's symptoms or peak flow numbers can help determine a "peak flow reading zone" --green, yellow, or red-- so you know the best way to manage your child's condition. As your child grows, his or her peak flow meter reading will change and the doctor may need to re-evaluate the target peak flow score.

Peak flow meter instructions: Your child's doctor will tell you when and how often to measure your child's peak flow. But here are some simple instructions to get you and your child started. At first, you should walk your child through the steps. As your child gets older and becomes more familiar with the peak flow meter, he or she may be able to take more responsibility for using the peak flow meter and getting the score. Be sure to write down the results and share them with the doctor.

1. Move the marker of the peak flow meter to "0" or to the lowest position. Make sure your child is standing up. If he or she can't do so, be sure he or she is sitting up straight. Your child should be in the same position each time the test is taken.

2. Instruct your child to take the deepest breath possible.

3. Place the mouthpiece of the peak flow meter into your child's mouth, between his or her teeth. Instruct your child to close his or her lips tightly around it. Be sure the tongue does not block the opening.

4. Ask your child to blow into the peak flow meter mouthpiece once, as hard and as fast as possible (1-2 seconds).

5. Take the peak flow meter out of your child's mouth, then look at the marker's position. Write this number down. Then move the marker back to "0" or the lowest position on the scale.

6. Repeat the test two more times.

7. Write down in your child's daily diary the highest of the three numbers. This is the peak flow result.

8. Talk to your child's doctor about these results.

How ADVAIR helps | What is asthma? | Treating asthma | Living with asthma| Home