Widening our view about asthma
Did you know that asthma is the most common long-term medical condition affecting children and young people? 1 in 11 are affected by the condition, which is around 3 in every London classroom.
Many have badly managed asthma, with over 20,000 admitted to hospital every year in England. Over 4% of these have such a severe episode that they are admitted to intensive care.
That’s why we want you to #AskAboutAsthma.
#AskAboutAsthma is an annual campaign led by NHS England – London Babies, Children and Young People’s Transformation team. We want to help children and young people with asthma, and their families and carers, to understand how to manage their condition so they can live full lives, without missing out. By raising awareness, we can help even more children and young people to ask about asthma and get the right care.
This year’s #AskAboutAsthma campaign week took place during 11-17 September 2023. Details about the 2024 campaign will be shared soon.
Check back soon to view the 2024 campaign page. See 2023 here: #AskAboutAsthma
Resources and asthma information
If you have asthma, or you are the parent of a child or young person with asthma, speak to your GP, GP practice nurse, or local pharmacist to discuss getting an asthma management plan in place.
Find links to information about asthma and how to manage it below. You can also download and share this poster about the common signs and symptoms of asthma.
Asthma resources for young people
- What is asthma?– 1-minute video explaining the condition and how to manage it
- Beat Asthma – asthma resources for young people
- Moving on Asthma resources – helping young people with asthma to live independently
Asthma resources for children
- Itchy Sneezy Wheezy: helping younger children to understand asthma
- What is asthma? Short animation helping to explain asthma to children
- Short animation with top tips on helping children to treat their asthma
- Short videos about asthma
Asthma resources schools, parents and carers
The four asks
There are four simple steps (or asks) which can help children and young people to manage their asthma:
1. Get an asthma action plan in place
A written asthma action plan drawn up between a healthcare professional and patient means you are four times less likely to have to go to hospital for your asthma.
2. Understand how to use inhalers correctly
Less than three-quarters of children and young people know how to use their inhaler. Poor inhaler technique means patients don’t get the full benefit of their asthma medication.
3. 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 so you can adjust your asthma management plan as needed.
4. Consider air pollution and its impact on lung health
Indoor and outdoor air pollution can trigger your asthma. Thinking about air pollution as part of your asthma management can help reduce the risk of asthma attacks.
What to do after an asthma attack
When a child or young person under your care has an asthma attack, it doesn’t always look severe.
Anyone caring for a child or young person with asthma should follow these steps if an asthma attack happens – whether you are a grandparent, teacher, group leader, and so on.
Symptoms can include a cough, wheezing, tight chest or feeling breathless.
- These symptoms should disappear completely when they use their rescue inhaler as advised in their asthma action plan, or their school asthma plan. If the symptoms do not disappear completely on the maximum dose advised in their plan, then you should call 999.
- If they do disappear but then come back again in less than 4 hours, they need to use it again and see a doctor immediately – either at the GP if immediately available or by going straight to the emergency department.
- Even if the symptoms are controlled by the rescue inhaler and the benefits last 4 hours or more, this is still a sign that the person’s asthma is not well controlled. Please make sure you tell their parent/carer to ensure the they are seen by their GP today or tomorrow.
Blogs:
Taking control of my own asthma management by Olivia Fulton, expert by experience
How a Digital Health Passport can support your asthma management by Greg Burch, Tiny Medical Apps
Podcast: How London is addressing air pollution to help children & young people with asthma with Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor for environment and energy in London, and Dr Gary Fuller, Air Pollution Scientist at Imperial College London
Missed asthma reviews and appointments – how to ensure families don’t slip through the net by Cloe Smith, children’s community asthma nurse in Newham
Moving on asthma – helping teens to transition to adult services with Nicki Barker and Moira Gibbons. Moving on Asthma is a resource for young people living with asthma, developed by the Respiratory Research Team at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.
Videos
What is asthma and how can young people manage it?
By Robert Adoo Kissi-Debrah, young person and supporter
Five tips on reducing exposure to indoor allergensrnBy Catherine Sutton, parent and founder of Airborne Allergy Action
Do you know when your inhaler is empty? By Prasad Nagakumar, Paediatric Respiratory Consultant, Birmingham Children’s Hospital
Ask the experts webinar recording – watch here
Digital Health Passports – how they can help manage asthma by Dr Greg Burch
Vaping – not safe, not harmless – by Dr Seb Gray
Why we need to consider a child or young person’s environment as part of their asthma management by Aishah Farooq, NHS England Youth Forum member and patient public voice partner
Webinar recording
Ask the experts – watch here where a panel answered your questions about childhood asthma and how to get the four asks in place.