Asthma Program at Children’s Hospital Colorado

Asthma is the most common chronic disease in children. The respiratory (breathing) condition causes the body’s airways to tighten and swell, making it hard to breathe.

If your child has asthma, partnering with a dedicated team of pediatric specialists can make all the difference in managing their care. Children’s Hospital Colorado works with your family to customize a treatment plan so your child can enjoy a healthy, active life.

Why choose us for asthma care

Our Asthma Program is one of the nation’s largest with over 170 experts. We care for more than 5,000 children each year, including more than 700 with high-risk asthma. Our specialized approach helps kids stay healthier, with fewer asthma-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Our experts lead cutting-edge studies and school-based research to advance asthma care and explore new treatments and prevention methods.

Each child has unique triggers and symptoms, so asthma requires personal care. Our team helps you create an asthma action plan. This takes the guesswork out of asthma management, giving anyone who cares for your child, from hospital nurses to babysitters, step-by-step instructions on how to manage symptoms and take the right action if they have an asthma attack. And when it’s best for your child and family, we will provide care via telehealth to help manage your child's asthma. 

We also take a community-based approach for asthma care. We understand how important home, community and school environments are when it comes to asthma management. We work closely with primary care providers, schools and community partners to promote healthy outcomes. Our community-based asthma initiatives include the school-based AsthmaCOMP, the Just Keep Breathing home visit program and more.

Multidisciplinary treatment for severe and high-risk asthma

Our Multidisciplinary Asthma Clinic (MAC) serves kids with difficult-to-treat and severe asthma when medication and standard therapies haven’t helped. Turn to MAC if your child has frequent flare-ups, more than two asthma-related emergency room visits or more than one asthma-related hospitalization. MAC offers:

• A dedicated team of providers who specialize in pulmonology, allergy care and social work
• Access to nutrition and psychology services, as well as speech therapy, as needed
• Assessment for hidden triggers and other medical diagnoses that complicate asthma care
• Support in coping with stressors and accessing treatment resources
• Coordinated, multidisciplinary care to streamline appointments and improve communication among caregivers

These appointments are held in the Multidisciplinary Clinic on the third floor of our hospital on the Anschutz Medical Campus.

Asthma education

You play an important role in your child’s health. We are here to educate both you and your child on how to best manage asthma, from identifying your child’s unique triggers, symptoms and treatment options, to understanding important medication and devices.

How to use tools to manage asthma

• Metered dose inhaler with spacer
• Diskus® inhaler
• Flexhaler®
• Twisthaler®
• Redihaler
• RespiClick
• Nebulizer
• Ellipta inhaler
• Peak flow meter
• Respimat soft mist inhaler

Metered dose inhaler with spacer Metered dose inhaler with spacer

A metered dose inhaler (MDI) is a small, pressured canister that puts a fine mist of medicine into your child’s lungs. Many parents with young children (1 to 5 years old) find that MDIs are easier to use than nebulizers.

How to use a metered dose inhaler

Diskus® inhaler Diskus® inhaler

This inhaler is shaped like a hamburger and sprays a fine, dry powder medication into your child’s lungs. The medicine in the Diskus inhaler does not work quickly, so your child should not use it during a sudden asthma attack.

How to use a Diskus® inhaler

Flexhaler® Flexhaler®

The Flexhaler is a handheld dry powder inhaler that delivers budesonide, an anti-inflammatory steroid, to your child’s lungs. This is not a relief medication, so your child should not use it during a serious or sudden asthma attack.

How to use a Flexhaler

Twisthaler® Twisthaler®

The Twisthaler is a small handheld device that sends a dry powder medication (mometasone) into your child’s lungs. The medicine in Twisthaler doesn’t work quickly, so your child should not use it during a sudden asthma attack or flareups.

How to use a Twisthaler

Redihaler Redihaler

The Redihaler is a breath-triggered medicine that sprays medicine into your child’s lungs. Do not use this inhaler with a spacer, and do not shake it. With the Redihaler, a deep breath gets the job done.

How to use a Redihaler

RespiClick RespiClick

The RespiClick is a is a breath-triggered inhaler that releases a dry powder into your child’s lungs. Do not use this inhaler with a spacer, and do not shake it.

How to use a RespiClick

Nebulizer Nebulizer

A nebulizer sends a fine mist of medication into your child’s lungs to relieve symptoms like wheezing and coughing. The device uses a compressor machine connected to a mask or a mouthpiece.

How to use a nebulizer

Ellipta inhaler Ellipta inhaler

The Ellipta inhaler is a breath-triggered dry powder, delivering medication when your child inhales. It’s designed for daily management of asthma, not for sudden asthma attacks.

How to use an Ellipta inhaler

Peak flow meter Peak flow meter

A peak flow meter is a tool to measure how well your child’s lungs are working. Each child has a different healthy peak flow range. Your asthma specialist will help you figure out your child’s ideal or personal best peak flow value.

How to use a peak flow meter

Respimat soft mist inhaler Respimat soft mist inhaler

The Respimat inhaler sends a fine mist of medication into your child’s lungs. Do not use this inhaler with a spacer, and do not shake it.

How to use a Respimat soft mist inhaler

Understanding insurance coverage for asthma

We know that health insurance coverage for asthma treatment is a concern for some families. Our team clearly communicates the financial details you need to make informed decisions about your child’s care. Our Patient Financial Services team can help answer your questions related to insurance, billing and payments.