• Gasping for breath Severe chest tightness
• Inability to speak more than one or two words per breath
• Feeling distressed and anxious
• Little or no improvement after using blue reliever medication (Airomir, Asmol, Bricanyl or Ventolin)
• 'Sucking in' of the throat and rib muscles
• Blue colouring around the lips (which can sometimes be hard to see if skin colour also changes)
• Pale and sweaty
If a person is having an asthma attack, you should commence Asthma First Aid