Asthma is a common lung condition that causes breathing difficulties. It affects people of all ages and often starts in childhood.

It is caused by swelling of the breathing tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. This makes the tubes highly sensitive, so they temporarily narrow.

The main symptoms are a whistling sound when breathing (wheezing), breathlessness, a tight chest and coughing. Not all children and young people with asthma will have a wheeze.   

Poor air quality can make it harder for people with asthma to breathe. This includes smoking, household damp and mould, pollution and sprayed chemicals. 

Other triggers include cold weather, allergies (to dust mites or animals), exercise and cold and flu infections. 

There's no cure, but there are simple treatments and lifestyle changes that can help keep the symptoms under control. 

Do you know a child who has asthma? They need to:

See a healthcare professional at least once a year 

Your child should have an asthma review with a doctor or asthma nurse every 12 months and after an asthma attack. Try to attend the appointment in person (or via video) and remember to take any asthma inhalers and spacers with you, so the doctor or nurse can review your child’s inhaler technique.

Get their inhaler technique checked

Poor inhaler technique means people don’t get the full benefit of their asthma medication. Get your child’s inhaler technique checked during the review, and watch these short videos to learn how they can use their inhaler and spacer effectively to better manage symptoms.

Get a written asthma action plan (for school and home)

A personalised asthma action plan (PAAP) is a written plan with all the information you need about your child’s asthma in one place. It is one of the best things you can do to help your child stay well with their asthma.

Your child’s doctor or asthma nurse should help you complete this plan. You can download a copy on the Asthma and Lung UK website and take this with you to appointments. Young people over 12-years-old may wish to use a Maintenance and Reliver Therapy (MART) asthma action plan instead.

You should share your asthma plan with your child’s teachers, carers, extended family, or anyone looking after them. 

Asthma can be fatal for young people. Get your child’s breathing sorted. Get their medication checked every year. Contact your GP practice.

Information for parents and carers: 

Tobacco smoke, including second-hand smoke is unhealthy for everyone, especially people with asthma. Babies and children are more likely to be harmed by second-hand smoke because their lungs are not fully developed.

Most vapes contain nicotine, an addictive substance that can be hard to stop using. Nicotine is riskier for young people than for adults, as evidence suggests the developing brain is more sensitive to its addictive effects.

Find more information about young people and vaping at Better Health or visit the Frank website. 

Stop smoking support 

If you live in Medway, get support from trained advisors to quit smoking at A Better Medway. In Kent, you can access stop smoking services at One You Kent. 

The NHS Quit Smoking app is free to use and is available to download from the App Store and Google Play. 

The Better Health website has useful information and resources to help people quit smoking, including a free personal quit plan. 

Air pollution can make it harder for people with asthma to breathe. Consider air pollution as part of asthma management to help reduce the risk of asthma attacks.

Find out more about reducing your child’s exposure to air pollution: 

Damp and mould

Damp and mould in your house can make asthma symptoms worse. Mould and damp are usually caused by excessive moisture, which can be from leaking pipes or roofs, rising damp (water than comes up from the ground), or condensation.

To prevent damp and mould repair any leaks as soon as possible. If you are in rented accommodation, let your landlord know. If the issue is not resolved, contact your council’s private sector housing team. Citizens Advice has further information to support private renting tenants on raising complaints with their landlord and local council.

If you are a social housing tenant, you can find out about how to raise a complaint with your landlord on the Make Things Right website. 

Shelter helps people to understand their housing rights and get support. 

Home nebulisers are not generally recommended for home use, for safety reasons. Using these at home could be dangerous for your child and potentially life threatening.

Children under 18-years-old should only use a nebuliser to take asthma reliever medications under specific instructions of a doctor with expertise in asthma, so deterioration in asthma control can be detected and treated without delay.

If your child or teenager have been using a nebuliser at home and have not yet been referred to a specialist in asthma, talk to their GP about referral to a specialist.

Watch this video for more information on the safe use of nebulisers.
 

Asthma attacks and panic attacks can look and feel very similar, and it can be difficult to tell the difference. When a child feels anxious, it can make their lung symptoms feel worse because anxiety can change the way they breathe. 

Asthma can increase symptoms of anxiety and anxiety can increase symptoms of asthma. 

If your child has a panic disorder and asthma, it is important that both you and your child can tell the difference. Find more information at Beat Asthma and Asthma and Lung UK. 

People who use inhalers can return and recycle them at pharmacies in east Kent.

The Re-Hale scheme allows anyone who uses an inhaler to return and recycle them at participating sites.

Find your nearest participating pharmacy.   
 

Looking for more support? Visit Asthma and Lung UK’s Parent and Carer Support Network, a space for parents and carers of children with asthma or suspected asthma to come together.

Find more information to help care for your child with asthma: 

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