Action:
Corticosteroids are strong or potent anti-inflammatory medicine. The medications prevent and reduce
swelling inside the breathing tubes and lessen the amount of mucus in the lungs.
How they are prescribed:
- Liquids or tablets to be swallowed (called oral steroids)
- Intravenous
Liquid and Tablet Corticosteroids - Oral:
- Used in acute or symptomatic significant asthma episodes.
- Lessens swelling of the breathing tubes.
- Prevents the episodes from getting even more severe.
- May take about 3-6 hours or longer to start working.
- May be used for 3 to 7 days or longer.
- ALWAYS used under a doctor's supervision only! Do not start medication without a
physician's order.
- If your prescription is not filled at Riley Hospital's pharmacy, check with your local
pharmacist to be certain the dose in milligrams is the same. Call your local physician or the
pulmonary office if you have questions regarding this.
- Have your child take oral steroids with food or after eating. To help your child take this
medicine, try putting the crushed tablet in ice cream; or mixing it with a tablespoon of milk,
Carnation Instant Breakfast and sugar; or mixing with something like cherry juice or chocolate
syrup.
- Begin taking the steroid on the day it is prescribed. Then take it each day in the morning
after breakfast or as directed.
Side Effects (Short Term) - Oral:
- Increased Appetite
- Fluid Retention
- Weight Gain
- Rounding of the Face
- Changes in Mood
- High Blood Pressure
Side effects should go away when the medication is discontinued.
Important things to remember:
**ALWAYS call your doctor before starting or stopping these medicines.
**Corticosteroids are not the same medicine as the steroids that some athletes use.
When to call your doctor or the pulmonary office:
- If there is no improvement in your child's symptoms within two days after starting the steroid,
or if your child experiences increased respiratory symptoms (cough, wheezing, tightness, and
shortness of breath) during the weaning schedule, call the doctor or the pulmonary office.
- Contact your child's physician before putting your child on any additional steroid dosages at a
later date.
- If your child is exposed to anyone with chicken pox (and your child has not had chicken pox) or
breaks out in chicken pox while on the steroids, call your local physician or the Riley Pulmonary
Office immediately.
- Your child should not receive any live Attenuated vaccinations while on oral steroids, (i.e.,
oral polio vaccine, chickenpox, MMR, or intranasal influenza vaccine). Other vaccines (such as HIB,
DPT) are safe to receive while on steroids. Check with your doctor.
- Contact your child's physician in the event of an acute asthma attack.
Common names - Oral:
- Prelone
- Pediapred
- Deltasone
- Prednisone
- Medrol
- Orapred
[Keywords: Asthma, Corticosteroids, anti-inflammatory medicine, oral steroids, asthma episodes,
medication, Prelone, Pediapred, Deltasone, Prednisone, Medrol, Orapred]
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