Community Pediatric Asthma Service
Breathing Well
There are things other than asthma that can impact breathing. These things are called by many different names (confusing!) and may, or may not, have anything to do with asthma.
Dysfunctional Breathing (DB), Exercise-Induced Laryngeal Obstruction (EILO), Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction (ILO), Paradoxical Vocal Fold Motion (PVFM) and Vocal Cord Dysfunction (VCD) are all different terms used to describe the same problem
- when vocal cords close when you breathe in.
Mental Health
Your mental health also plays an important part in managing your breathing. Some helpful websites are:
The Magic of Laughter
The Alberta Children’s Hospital has many helpful handouts to start the laughter in the room!
Where to Find Help
It may be hard to get help for these breathing challenges as there are a limited number of trained individuals who specialize in these areas.
Some suggestions for support may include speech therapists, physiotherapists, respiratory therapists and voice coaches. Ask your health care team if they know of people who have an interest in any of these areas.
The really GOOD news is there are lots of great resources on the web!
Resources
- Belly Breathing, (also known as Diaphragmatic Breathing)
- Chronic Throat Clearing
- Cough Control, (Vocalizing with Ease)
- How to Look After Your Voice, Speech Language, (Rockyview General Hospital)
- How to Reduce Irritation that Triggers Coughing, (Centre of Excellence in Severe Asthma)
- Stretches, Speech and Language Therapy Program, (Alberta Children's Hospital)
Videos
- Relaxed Breathing - When you are feeling anxious, (Alberta Lung Association & Breathe Well Physio)
- Habit Cough (Chronic Cough) – When cough is the main symptom during waking hours – a family experience. Miles Weinberger MD, (Habit Cough Association)
Walk | Run | Play | Breathe
Material on this website has been designed for information purposes only. It should not be used in place of medical advice, instruction and/or treatment.
If you have specific questions, please consult your doctor or appropriate health care professional.