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| Medicine name | How its taken | Device | Side effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budesonide + Formoterol (Symbicort®, Pulmicort®) |
Taken regularly every morning and evening. Some older children also take 1 puff when required as well as taken regularly. | Turbohaler® | Your child may develop a yeast infection in the mouth, called oral thrush. If you notice a thick white or cream-coloured covering on your child’s tongue, or the mouth is red and irritated, contact your doctor for advice treatment. You can help prevent this by making sure that your child rinses their mouth after using steroid. Your child may develop a dry mouth with this medicine. Eating citrus fruits (e.g. oranges) or taking sips of water may help.Inhaled steroid may slow the speed at which your child grows at the start of treatment, but will probably catch up when their asthma is properly controlled. Their final adult height should not be affected. All steroid medicines, including beclometasone, budesonide, fluticasone but only in high doses, may affect the adrenal glands so that they produce less of a hormone called cortisol when the body is stressed (e.g. during illness or injury). This means that your child may have more difficulty fighting off an infection, or may recover less quickly from injury or after surgery. From medicines for children.
These side effects are short lasting and common. They are not a reason to stop taking the inhaler. Most children tolerate these mild side effects. If you are in any doubt contact your GP or asthma team. |
| Fluticasone + Salmeterol(Seretide®) | Preventer. Taken regularly every morning and evening. | Evohaler®, Accuhaler® | Your child may develop a yeast infection in the mouth, called oral thrush. If you notice a thick white or cream-coloured covering on your child’s tongue, or the mouth is red and irritated, contact your doctor for advice treatment. You can help prevent this by making sure that your child rinses their mouth after using steroid. Your child may develop a dry mouth with this medicine. Eating citrus fruits (e.g. oranges) or taking sips of water may help.Inhaled steroid may slow the speed at which your child grows at the start of treatment, but will probably catch up when their asthma is properly controlled. Their final adult height should not be affected. All steroid medicines, including beclometasone, budesonide, fluticasone but only in high doses, may affect the adrenal glands so that they produce less of a hormone called cortisol when the body is stressed (e.g. during illness or injury). This means that your child may have more difficulty fighting off an infection, or may recover less quickly from injury or after surgery. From medicines for children.
These side effects are short lasting and common. They are not a reason to stop taking the inhaler. Most children tolerate these mild side effects. If you are in any doubt contact your GP or asthma team. |
| Fluticasone + Vilanterol (Relvar Ellipta®) | Preventer. Taken regularly once a day. Only used for children over 12. | Ellipta® | Your child may develop a yeast infection in the mouth, called oral thrush. If you notice a thick white or cream-coloured covering on your child’s tongue, or the mouth is red and irritated, contact your doctor for advice treatment. You can help prevent this by making sure that your child rinses their mouth after using steroid. Your child may develop a dry mouth with this medicine. Eating citrus fruits (e.g. oranges) or taking sips of water may help.Inhaled steroid may slow the speed at which your child grows at the start of treatment, but will probably catch up when their asthma is properly controlled. Their final adult height should not be affected. All steroid medicines, including beclometasone, budesonide, fluticasone but only in high doses, may affect the adrenal glands so that they produce less of a hormone called cortisol when the body is stressed (e.g. during illness or injury). This means that your child may have more difficulty fighting off an infection, or may recover less quickly from injury or after surgery. From medicines for children. Information on other side-effects can be found in the Patient Information Leaflet in the pack or on the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) website.
These side effects are short lasting and common. They are not a reason to stop taking the inhaler. Most children tolerate these mild side effects. If you are in any doubt contact your GP or asthma team. |
Please note:
These are the most commonly used inhalers at the time of publication of this website. If you do not see your inhaler you can speak to your GP or pharmacist or check the patient information leaflet for your inhaler and medication.
