Warning over tripling in asthma cases as children return to school

Parents of children with asthma are being urged to act to prevent a trebling in emergency hospital admissions when they return to school.

Experts warned of an expected surge in cases after the school holidays.

They said the spike was linked to children forgetting to use preventer inhalers when daily routines were disrupted over the summer - then being exposed to new viruses at school.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) highlighted NHS figures showing a a trebling in the number of asthma-related hospital admissions treble among school aged children in September, in recent years.

Between August and September 2015, emergency asthma admissions in England, Scotland and Wales for children aged 0-14 tripled, increasing from 1,089 to 3,203, NHS figures show.

Similar trends were seen in the previous three years.

The RCN said parents must make sure children with asthma were regularly taking preventer medication, and should book an annual asthma review with their local GP practice before the school term starts.

They also urged them to ensure children’s schoolbags contained their reliever inhaler, spacer and care plan.

Fiona Smith, the RCN's professional lead for children and young people, said: "Changes in routine during the holidays, the stress and excitement of going back to school as well as being exposed to new virus and colds, can leave children more vulnerable to asthma attacks.

"Children should not have to miss days off school because of their asthma. Booking your child's annual asthma review before the school holidays end can help them manage their asthma and flag any new triggers before term starts."

Asthma UK has issued an alert to Scottish parents where children have already begun their return to school.

Sonia Munde, head of services at the charity, said: "Going back to school should be an exciting time for children, but many end up in hospital fighting for life after an asthma attack.

"This is extremely distressing for a child and their parent. It could be avoided if parents know how to spot their child's asthma is getting worse and know what to do if their child is having an asthmaattack.

"Parents should not feel afraid to book an urgent appointment with the GP or asthma nurse if their child is using their reliever inhaler (usually blue) three or more times a week, coughing or wheezing at night or feeling out of breath and struggling to keep up with their friends.”