A school nurse is caring for a child who has asthma and begins to have difficulty breathing. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

A. Encourage the use of a flutter mucus clearance device: Flutter devices are useful for mobilizing mucus in chronic conditions like cystic fibrosis, but they are not appropriate during an acute asthma exacerbation when rapid bronchodilation is needed. B. Instruct the child to perform controlled breathing exercises: Breathing exercises may help with long-term asthma control but are not effective in quickly relieving acute bronchoconstriction. Immediate medication is the priority in this situation. C. Administer two puffs of albuterol: Albuterol is a fast-acting bronchodilator that relaxes airway muscles and relieves bronchospasm. It is the first-line treatment for acute asthma symptoms like wheezing or difficulty breathing. D. Place the child in the supine position: Lying flat can worsen respiratory distress by restricting lung expansion. The child should instead be placed in an upright or semi-Fowler’s position to ease breathing and improve ventilation.