Parents are being warned that kids headed back to school will be at a higher risk of triggering a serious condition after the summer holidays.
A UK charity made the claim in recent days and said that youngsters returning to the classroom could be four times more likely to end up in hospital as a result of Asthma in September compared to figures recorded in August.
The analysis published from NHS Digital data showed that 435 kids ended up in hospital with asthma in August in 2018, but this rose to 1,795 the following month as kids returned to the classroom.
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This is due to the increase of triggers facing children in a school setting after spending the summer months at home, outside, and on holiday, according to Charity Asthma + Lung UK.
Emma Rubach, head of health advice at the charity, explained that: “Returning to school should be an exciting time for children, and the last thing any parent wants is to see is their child in hospital fighting for their life after an asthma attack.
“When children do go back after the summer holidays, they can be exposed to more things that can trigger their asthma.
"Colds and flu viruses and dust mites are some of the biggest culprits. Some children may fall out of their usual preventer inhaler routines over the summer break which can leave them much more vulnerable to an asthma attack."
Emma gave one key piece of advice to parents to prevent asthma attacks by advising they make sure kids who need an inhaler take it to school every day as prescribed.
"This helps calm the inflammation in their airways and reduces the risk of an asthma attack," she said.
According to the HSE, ther are a number of signs that indicate you may be having an asthma attack, which includes:
- your symptoms are getting worse (cough, breathlessness, wheezing or tight chest)
- your reliever inhaler (usually blue) isn't helping
- you're too breathless to speak, eat or sleep
- your breathing is getting faster and it feels like you can't catch your breath
- your peak flow score is lower than normal
If you think you're having an asthma attack, you should:
- Sit upright (don't lie down) and try to take slow, steady breaths. Try to remain calm, as panicking will make things worse.
- Take 1 puff of your reliever inhaler (usually blue) every 30 to 60 seconds, up to a maximum of 10 puffs.
- Call 112 or 999 for an ambulance if you don't have your inhaler with you, you feel worse despite using your inhaler, you don't feel better after taking 10 puffs or you're worried at any point.
- If the ambulance hasn't arrived within 15 minutes, repeat step 2.
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