09/09/2025
Good Afternoon,
This week is week and we have been having a lot of discussions around this. One of the asks this year is about preventable deaths as most asthma attacks are preventable.
Some common questions families ask after a child has had a severe asthma attack are:
" We didn't know asthma was serious, it usually get better with age doesn't it"
"Why has this happened, they only have mild asthma"
"if there were warning signs, we would have done something"
"isn't it normal to cough and wheeze - isn't that normal for asthmatics?"
"Do children really die from asthma?"
"They use their blue inhaler all the time-Isn't this normal?"
This is quite worrying as many people perceive asthma as a mild condition, why is this? At least 2 children in every classroom have asthma, is it because it is a common chronic condition?
Here are some pointers which would indicate good asthma control.
1. The reliever (blue) inhaler is used less than twice a week
2. Your child is mainly symptom free, no cough and no wheeze, especially at night and in the morning
3. Only requiring salbutamol for intense exercise
When we see a child in clinic we aim for asthma control that is so good that children will live their life mainly symptom free :)
How can we achieve good asthma control?
1. Attend your asthma reviews regularly
2. After an asthma attack, see your GP, practice nurse or asthma nurse specialist within 48 hours. You are more at risk of a further asthma attack after just experiencing one.
3. Ensure you have a personalised asthma management plan that you can follow and ensure school have a copy.
4. Always take your preventer inhaler as prescribed
5. Always carry your reliever inhaler around with you wherever you go.
6. If your child has been to out of hours services for a reliever inhaler or has been prescribed oral steroids then please ensure they are followed up by your own GP.
7. Monitor your own peak flow if you have one
8. Ensure spacer devices are replaced every 6-12 months and ensure the spacer device is still suitable for your child.
It would be very concerning if you or your child requires more than 2 salbutamol inhalers a year.
Lastly lets talk triggers. sometimes it is difficult to pin point triggers but the common ones include viruses and colds. September is the worst month for asthma attacks. This is because people may stop their preventer inhalers in the summer months and forget to re start them. After the school holidays children return to school and get bombarded by viruses which can trigger asthma.
Identifying individual triggers can help with good asthma control as you can step in as soon as possible.
Hopefully this was helpful
Inez, Nicky and Sarah :)
