Buteyko Manual For Asthma Continued.

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breathing like a mouse. If you ever feel a bit worried or annoyed or if you start to get asthma — then this is how you should breath to stop it. Breathe just like a little .....[try to get child to say “mouse”] mouse. Not like a big ....... [try to get child to say “elephant”] elephant.

Asthma, Blocked Nose, Post Nasal Drip, Itchy Nose or Eyes

There is only one way to get asthma or a blocked nose — and that is because you are breathing like an elephant. You are not an elephant, and your body will try stop you from breathing so much.

Your nose may block up, and make your lungs get wheezy, and you may feel stuff in your lungs and want to cough.

If your childs nose becomes completely blocked, then the Steps exercise should be done until it is clear enough to breathe through. Usually only one set is needed. The key is to ensure that breathing is only through the nose after the steps [like a mouse].

If the breathing is elephant-like — the nose will just block up again. If it does, then repeat the steps. If it is only partially blocked, then ask the child to just breath like a mouse, and try to make it clear. With practice they will soon be able to unblock nose with just breathing.

If the symptoms of asthma occur, tightness, wheeze or cough occur — remember the elephant and the mouse. Reinforce the statement with your child that the only way to get asthma is to first breathe like an ........ [Elephant]. To make it go away you just breathe like a litte ..... [turn palm up — Mouse] through your ........[point to — nose!]

If your child begins to cough — then you must teach them how to cough through their nose. Have a little practice with them. When they feel a tickle in their throat — instead of coughing with their mouth, they should firstly try to just ignore it, but if they have to then cough via nose. This is more like an “AH-HRRM” or throat clearing before a speech.