#AskAboutAsthma week
Our specialist asthma nurses are raising awareness of the issues that affect asthma in children and young people, and how everyone involved in their care can support them to live full and active lives.
Our Children’s Asthma and Allergy Service is taking part in this week’s national #AskAboutAsthma campaign (Monday 11 to Sunday 17 September).
Melanie Moylan, projects manager for the service, said: “This year’s theme is ‘Widening our View’ and we are shining a light on the wider factors of children and young people’s asthma care, including housing, mould and vaping.
“We want to make sure everyone who has asthma - as well as their friends, families, and everyone involved in their care – knows about how these impact on their condition and what to do.
“It’s also important that they know about four simple and effective measures to help manage their asthma.”
These are:
- Get an asthma action plan in place - A written asthma action plan drawn up between a clinician and patient means people are four times less likely to need to go to hospital for their asthma.
- Understand how to use inhalers correctly - Less than three-quarters of children and young people have any form of instruction in how to use their inhaler. Poor inhaler technique means patients don’t get the full benefit of their asthma medication.
- Schedule an asthma review – every year and after every attack - An asthma review by an appropriately trained clinician after every attack helps to work out what went wrong. An annual review ensures effective management of the condition.
- Consider air pollution and its impact on lung health - We want to ensure that every asthma conversation considers the impact of outdoor and indoor air pollution on children and young people’s asthma.
Our South East Essex Children’s Specialist Asthma and Allergy Service have been highlighting the #AskAboutAsthma campaign during their ‘asthma friendly schools training’ at 115 schools in the Castle Point, Rochford and Southend areas.
They are continuing their whole-school presentations in a mission to increase awareness of childhood asthma one school at a time, and are also training GPs in south east Essex.
Our specialist asthma nurses are talking to children and young people about the importance of using their inhalers correctly, how to perform peak flows, and educating them about the dangers of vaping.
For more information about our asthma services for children, visit https://eput.nhs.uk/our-services/children-s-asthma-allergy-service/
Asthma and Lung UK also has advice and support, including a free asthma action plan. Find out more at https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/conditions/asthma/child