Dust mite tablet trial hopes to cut child asthma
Doctors are trialling a new dust mite tablet which they hope could cut the number of asthma attacks in children.
The study will look at whether exposing youngsters to a small dose of dust mite in tablet form will help their immune systems accept and adapt to the allergy-triggering substance and reduce reaction to it.
The trial, led by researchers at the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre and Southampton Children’s Hospital, will involve 20 patients aged between six and 16 with allergic asthma.
The condition, which is the most common type of asthma in childhood and accounts for 90 per cent of cases, causes symptoms when patients come into contact with triggers such as pollen, pets and dust mites.