Advice needed please

Hi

I am new to this forum so please be gentle

I am a childminder who cares for a 2 yr old who has been diagnosed with asthma,

The good news for me is that i have been allocated some money to buy resources that may help him.

I am thinking about garden equipment but not sure what others think about that.

Other than this child I have no other experience of working with children with asthma so any advice would be gratefully received

Thanks for reading

Pandy x

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Wow, what a fabulous childminder you are! If only all professional carers were as attentive as you. Big pat on the back. Wish there was a thumbs up sign that I could post on here.....

Well, if I were in your shoes and knowing what I know now about very young children with asthma I would really grill the parents for every little sign and signal that their child may show when getting those early warning signs of symptoms. Write it all down and get them to review it really regularly as kids signs change so quickly at this age that it's difficult to keep up. It is really is very difficult to tell when a two year old is having changes in their lungs, as they just don't show it how you think they will and they're so ""into"" everything and are programmed to be adaptable that you might not always notice. But you being such a fab childminder have already probably done all of this!

Re. equipment - does it have to be asthma related? Maybe a buggy board so that he or she can have a rest if they can't keep up with other children that you may be looking after? Or perhaps something to help them to comply with medication - a puppet to put the spacer mask on or similar?

Leishx

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Thank you for those very kind words Leish

i have cared for this child and his sister all of their lives bar 8 weeks (his sister is 4 and came to me at 8 weeks) and i was mum''s birthing partner so they are extremely precious to me.

I am aware of his triggers as i know him so well and have had to administer his inhaler many times.

I have also called NHS direct as i was so worried about him in the spring.

The money is allocated for particular resouces for his "" disability"" as it has been awarded by DCATCH which is an initiative to encourage disabled children into childcare. so it can be for anything that will help him now or in the future, i was thinking garden toys they are something thati am sure he will benifit from, but i am very open to ideas

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Hi Pandy I totally agree on everything Leish has said,a buggy board sounds good idea, my daughter is 2 1/2 and we find jumping on the trampoline really helps maybe one of those mini ones,but all children are different as is their asthma.I am also a disability short breaks carer and will come across many children with disabilities at the end of the day we just want to do our best for them and help make their lives easier.I used to be a child minder,sounds like you are a very special one and after seeing a lady locally take 8 children and herself in a 7 seater the other day is beyond me,surely we wouldn't do that with any child but heh that's a different story.Hope you find some useful things to buy,beckyx