Is your child exposed to smoking? If so how are they exposed?: Active? Is your child smoking? Passive? Is there someone at home who smokes when your child is in the house? Friends? Are they being exposed to second hand smoke from their friends? Family? Are they exposed to smoke when visiting other family? Does […]
Take extra precautions to reduce risk from triggers – avoiding sprays, air fresheners, more frequent laundry, vacuuming, avoiding food allergy triggers. Strain on finances – hospital and GP appointments, time off work when your child is ill, extra insurance when you go on holiday. Planning and choices for the family – everyday events may need […]
In order to develop a positive self-management approach to your pregnancy you should follow all the health messages from your midwife and ante natal team: Avoid smoking or being around those who smoke Smoking makes an asthma attack more likely and an asthma attack can stress your baby. Smoking increases the chance of miscarriage, your […]
Children can start to understand cause and effect so they start to recognise when they are becoming breathless and what to do about it. Sometimes they will know what triggers to avoid. They can identify how they feel. They can sometimes feel symptoms before we can see them. Listen to them and what they say! […]
It’s fine to send your child for a sleepover as long as you have checked a few things first Chat to the other parents who will be supervising the sleepover. Make sure there are no pets in the house which are known triggers for your child (even if the pet left less than 6 months […]
In the early hours of the morning everyone’s airways become a bit narrower and breathing is slower. People without asthma don’t notice anything but children with asthma can find it harder to breathe at night. If they have asthma they are breathing less easily at this time and may wake up with a night time […]
The first step in managing your asthma is to know how and when it affects you – your symptoms. For more information please see Causes of asthma. You may have “asthma triggers” such as allergies to chemicals, dust mites or animal fur. For more information please see Asthma triggers. Some asthma triggers are unpredictable such […]
You should discuss your young person’s career hopes with them and the healthcare team early on (age 12 – 14 at latest). You should have realistic discussions as some jobs or occupations can affect their asthma. Entry to the armed forces is limited to those with no asthma symptoms for at least 4 years. Careers […]
Asthma is a condition that affects the lungs. It causes swelling and narrowing of small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs causing shortness of breath, cough or wheeze. There is no cure for asthma but the symptoms can be well controlled with treatment and avoiding irritants (triggers) that make it worse. […]
There may be common environmental factors or ‘triggers’ that can affect your child’s asthma in school. For example; grass/tree pollens, dust mites, mould spores, exercise, not to mention school with lots of children are a great breeding ground for coughs and colds! It is important to let the school know if you have identified things […]
