Back to school asthma

Sir, The school summer holiday in Scotland has sadly come to an end, and now that children are back in school it is important parents of children with asthma keep an eye out for the early warning signs of an asthma attack.

Children are at a much greater risk of having an asthma attack when they are back at school, partly due to exposure to triggers such as cold and flu viruses.

The latest hospital admissions data showed that children in Scotland were 68 per cent more likely to be rushed to hospital following an asthma attack in August than in July.

Every 10 seconds someone has a potentially life-threatening asthma attack in the UK, and three people die from asthma every day, so it is important for parents to spot the signs of an asthma attack early.

You should book an urgent appointment with the GP or asthma nurse if your child is using their reliever inhaler (usually blue) more than three times a week; coughing or wheezing at night; feeling out of breath and struggling to keep up with their friends.

Parents who have any concerns about their child’s asthma can speak to expert nurses by calling the Asthma UK Helpline on 0300 222 5800 (MonFri 9am-5pm).

They can also find more information on how to protect their child this August by visiting the asthma.org. uk website.

Sonia Munde, head of helpline and nurse manager, Asthma UK