Fear of harming the child:
(1) side effects of drugs
(2) risk of becoming addicted
(3) therapy could make the child sicker
Negative emotions felt by the parent because the child has asthma:
(1) anger about needing to treat the child
(2) frustration
Negative feelings related to inconvenience of therapy:
(1) need to change plans about going out
(2) therapy can make the child's behavior more difficult
Negative feelings about need to treat:
(1) therapy does not work (useless, ineffective)
(2) underestimating asthma severity (it is not all that bad)
A parent with negative attitudes towards asthma therapy should be targeted for discussions about the child, asthma and its therapy. The hope is that better adherence to therapy with early intervention during an exacerbation can reduce hospitalizations.
