Asthma and COPD

Asthma is a long term condition of the airways. When a person with asthma meets a trigger, the airways narrow, the lining swells and extra mucus forms, making it hard to breathe. This lesson explains common symptoms, including wheeze, cough, chest tightness and shortness of breath, and common triggers such as colds and flu, smoke, dust, pollen, cold air, exercise and some medicines. Key points: asthma can be well controlled, symptoms can change quickly, and knowing a person's triggers helps you reduce risk.

Most people with asthma use two kinds of medicine. Relievers, usually a blue or grey puffer, open the airways quickly during symptoms. Preventers are taken every day as prescribed to reduce swelling and make flare ups less likely. This lesson explains the difference, why using a spacer helps, and the role of a written asthma action plan prepared by the person's doctor. Key points: follow the action plan, never change medicines yourself, report increased reliever use, and support the person to take preventers as prescribed.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a long term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out fully. It includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis and is most often caused by smoking, though other exposures can contribute. COPD cannot be cured and usually gets worse over time, but treatment can help people breathe easier and stay active. This lesson covers symptoms such as breathlessness, a long term cough and sputum, and how COPD differs from asthma. Key point: good management can improve quality of life.

People with COPD can do a lot to stay well, and support workers play a big role. This lesson covers supporting medicines and inhalers as prescribed, breathing techniques such as pursed lip breathing, pacing activity, staying active, pulmonary rehabilitation, vaccinations and quitting smoking. It also introduces the COPD action plan and how to recognise a flare up, when symptoms become worse than usual. Key points: help the person pace activity, report early signs of a flare up and follow their action plan.

An asthma attack can become life threatening. This lesson teaches the four steps of asthma first aid for people aged 12 and over from the National Asthma Council Australia: sit the person upright and stay calm, give 4 separate puffs of blue or grey reliever through a spacer with 4 breaths after each puff, wait 4 minutes, and if breathing is still not normal give 4 more puffs. If there is still no improvement, call 000 and keep giving 4 puffs every 4 minutes. Call 000 immediately for severe symptoms. Always follow the person's own action plan.

A severe COPD flare up can be an emergency. This lesson explains the signs that mean you call 000, such as severe breathlessness, blue lips, confusion, drowsiness or chest pain, and what to do while waiting: sit the person upright, follow their action plan, give reliever medicine as the plan directs, and keep them calm. It also covers recording and reporting. The course builds knowledge only; you must be trained for each person's needs and hold current first aid training. The lesson ends with a course summary.

This case study follows Tahlia, a young woman with an intellectual disability and asthma, on a community outing on a day when smoke from hazard reduction burns drifts over the city. Her support worker notices early warning signs, helps her reduce exposure, and then follows asthma first aid when her symptoms worsen. The lesson reinforces the four steps, when to call triple zero, and how to record and report afterwards. It builds knowledge only, and workers must follow each participant's asthma action plan. Key points: know the triggers, carry the reliever, act early and call triple zero if not improving.

This case study follows Mr Russo, an older man with COPD who lives at home with support. Over two days, his support worker notices that he is more breathless, coughing more, and that his sputum has changed colour. The lesson shows how to recognise a flare up early, follow his COPD action plan, report changes, and recognise when a flare up has become an emergency needing triple zero. It also covers oxygen safety. The course builds knowledge only. Key points: notice changes early, follow the plan, never change oxygen flow and call triple zero for danger signs.