When traveling with a child who has asthma, many of the same considerations that adults must contend with also apply. These points include the following:

• Pack two containers of all medications, and make sure that you’ve labeled them properly. Keep one container as a carry-on with you, and keep the other in a purse, backpack, or briefcase.
• Obtain a MedicAlert bracelet or necklace for your child to wear. If you’re not around, emergency medical personnel will immediately know what to do about your child’s condition.
• Show your child how to pack his or her asthma and/or allergy medications properly. In addition to preparing your child for trips that he or she may take without you, this lesson can also help your youngster find out more about managing his or her condition appropriately.
• Take at least two epinephrine kits (such as an EpiPen or EpiPen Jr. for children under 66 pounds) if your child is at risk for anaphylaxis to ensure that you’ll always have one at hand. Make sure that you and/or your child (depending on the youngster’s age) know how to use the kit. Knowing how to use the kit means you should receive instructions on the proper use of the injector in your doctor’s office, rather than waiting for a potential emergency to figure it out.
• Ask questions about meals. If your child has peanut allergies, be especially vigilant on airplanes (particularly with the contents of those appealingly packaged snack bags), where peanuts can be as common as delayed flights.

Excerpted from "Asthma for Dummies" by William E. Berger, MD