AHEAD of schools re-opening fully next week Birmingham Children’s Hospital’s specialist respiratory team is reminding young people and their families living with asthma to be extra vigilant and take necessary precautions to ensure they stay safe.
Around 1.1million children in the UK have asthma – one in every 11.
On average a potentially life-threatening asthma attack occurs every 10 seconds.
Each year in September, when the new school year starts, experts at the Children’s Hospital see an increase in the number of asthma attacks children suffer.
Families are being urged to take time to check they have a clear plan, including what to do if symptoms worsen and ensuring their child’s school is aware of their condition.
It’s also vital that sufferers use their daily ‘preventer’ inhaler even if they are not showing symptoms and the blue ‘reliever’ is also at the school ready to use if required.
Dr Prasad Nagakumar, paediatric respiratory consultant at the Children’s said: “Every year, we see a spike in asthma attacks in children across the UK when they go back to school in September and during the winter months.
“However, due to the pandemic and lockdown measures, many young people will have stayed at home most of the winter. It’s vitally important that asthma is well managed to reduce the risk of a ‘back to school’ asthma attack.”
