All about asthma

What is asthma? Asthma is a condition that makes it hard to breathe the tiny airways (like tubes ) that carry air in and out of the body become red and swollen.

Triggers An Asthma Trigger is something that makes asthma worse, Common triggers include: Pollen and grass cuttings Furry animals Cigarette smoke Colds and flu Chalk dust Rubber gloves. When children with asthma are near a trigger it can make their asthma worse.

Why do people get asthma? Some people have asthma and some people dont. you can’t catch it from other people. People are more likely to have asthma if other family members have it too, or if they have an allergy like eczema or hayfever.

What treatments are there for asthma? Preventer inhalers help to keep asthma symptoms away. Reliever inhalers help to calm the airways (tiny air tubes) and stop an attack.

Take control of asthma Someone with asthma should remember these four steps: Go and see the doctor or nurse for an asthma review Tell school about their triggers Tell an adult at school if their asthma is bothering them Know what to do if they have an asthma attack

What should someone do if they have asthma? They should bring their medicines to school and carry them with them or keep them close at hand. They should bring a management plan to school signed by a doctor so that school know how to help with their asthma.

How Can We Help in school ? Be aware of the triggers of the children in our class. Help our friends to stay away from things that make their asthma worse Learn about asthma so that we can recognise when our friends are feeling unwell and get help.

Take control of asthma. Health Professionals in Yorkshire and Humber recommend that school staff carry a card with them at all times whilst in school. You may see a teacher with one of these. More are available from _your_free_asth.html

Someone having an asthma attack should: Take two puffs of their reliever inhaler (usually blue). Sit up, loosen tight clothing and try to keep calm. If they don’t start to get better straight away, they should continue to take two puffs of their reliever inhaler every two minutes for ten minutes or until their symptoms start to get better. If symptoms do not improve in five minutes – or if you are worried – call 999 or a doctor urgently. Repeat if ambulance does not arrive within 15 mins. Continuing to take two puffs of reliever inhaler every 2 minutes. up to 10 puffs. © Asthma UK 2009 Registered charity in England and in Scotland SCO39322 HP142L0609 With thanks to ICAP for funding this resource

Doctors and Nurses would like to remind children with asthma to take their medication in the summer time even when they feel well. A school newsletter will remind you and your parents Dear Parent Asthma is a common condition in childhood; most children who have asthma can control their symptoms with regular medication, and participate fully in day-to-day activities. Some children with asthma can occasionally experience increased symptoms that mean they have to go to hospital for treatment. Our records show that in September, many more children go to hospital with increased asthma symptoms than at any other time of year. This increase in asthma symptoms may be due to the fact that some children experience fewer symptoms during the summer holidays, and sometimes forget to take their asthma medication regularly. Ensuring your child takes their “preventer” asthma medication regularly during the summer holidays and throughout the year will help your child to control their asthma condition in the best possible way, and will also help us to reduce hospital admissions linked to asthma. If you have any questions about this letter please discuss it with your local doctor or paediatrician. Yours sincerely Yorkshire and Humber Regional Asthma Impact Project Steering Group Members Tackling absence in September.

To find out more about asthma, visit kickasthma.org.uk For more information and some cool games..