Urgent Seasonal Alert Issued Ahead Of Kids' Return To School

Schoolchildren in England are more than five times more likely to end up in hospital with an asthma attack at the start of the new school year, according to a new analysis.Recent official figures from NHS England show a 408% rise in the number of children aged between five and 14 being admitted to hospital in September last year compared to August.Boys are more likely to be hospitalised than girls, with records showing that 1,190 boys in this age group were admitted to hospital in September 2024 compared to 730 girls.The findings have prompted leading asthma charity Asthma + Lung UK, which conducted the analysis, to issue an urgent alert to parents and teachers.Asthma is the most common long term condition among children and young people and is one of the top 10 reasons for emergency hospital admission in the UK, according to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH).‘September is a dangerous time for all children with asthma’Dr Andy Whittamore, clinical lead at the charity and a practising GP, said: “It’s important to stress that September is a dangerous time for all children with asthma, regardless of gender.”Sarah Bage, 37, from Ely, Cambridgeshire, is worried about the return to school after her son Noah, six, had a serious asthma attack last September.“Noah was hospitalised with asthma for the first time in May 2024, and since then, we’ve had several terrifying trips to A&E,” she said.“Last September, he became very ill just a few days after starting Year One. He picked up a virus, which I now know to be one of his main triggers and he had to have quite a lot of time off school.“I’ve learnt to recognise the warning signs, which has helped to keep Noah out of hospital, but the anxiety is constant.”The mum said when her son’s asthma is getting worse, he doesn’t have a typical wheeze. “Instead, he coughs constantly, has trouble sleeping, is emotional, and needs his reliever inhaler more often,” she said. Dr Whittamore noted that boys have “narrower airways relative to lung size” as well as “stronger immune reactions and responses to allergens”, which could play a part in them having a higher chance of ending up in hospital. He said more research is needed to understand this link.“September can be a dangerous time for asthma, as colds and flu start to circulate when children return to school,” he continued.“This year’s spike could be worse than usual, with rising rates of measles and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) putting more children at risk of ending up in hospital with breathing difficulties.“This is why we are calling on parents to be prepared.”Signs of asthma in childrenThe main symptoms of asthma centre around problems with breathing, such as:wheezingcoughingshortness of breathchest feeling tight.Dr Whittamore said warning signs that a child’s asthma symptoms are worsening include “coughing and wheezing, especially at night or early in the morning, breathlessness, complaining about chest or stomach pain, or needing their reliever inhaler (usually blue) three or more times a week”.Advice for parentsThe charity is urging parents or carers of children with asthma to help reduce the risk of September asthma attacks by taking the following precautions: Make sure your child is using their steroid preventer inhaler as prescribed, as this helps to prevent inflammation in the airways, reducing their risk of an asthma attack. Check that they have had both MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccinations and contact your GP if one or both have been missedArrange for your child to have an annual asthma review with their GP or asthma nurse as soon as possible. This will pick up early symptoms and can help to identify triggers.Check your child has the right asthma medicines and they are taking them in the right way to manage their asthma and keep them well.If your child is at secondary school, make sure they put their reliever inhaler (usually blue) and spacer into their bag before leaving for school every day. They should be kept somewhere they can access during PE or if they are on a school trip.Read your child’s school policy on administering medication.Have an up-to-date asthma action plan and share it with your child’s school. You can download one here.Make sure your child can use their inhalers correctly and knows when to ask for help. Your GP or asthma nurse can check your child’s inhaler technique at their annual review. If a child has an asthma attack and their symptoms are not improving with a reliever inhaler, refer to their asthma action plan and then call 999.Advice for schoolsAsthma + Lung UK is calling on headteachers to share their schools’ asthma or medical conditions policies, so parents know how staff will support their child with asthma.These policies should include guidance on how and when schools will inform parents on their child’s inhaler use and asthma symptoms, and where inhalers should be stored, the charity said.It should also provide details about staff asthma awareness training, the administration of medication, and emergency procedures so that everyone understands their role in keeping pupils with asthma safe. The charity has also prepared a free poster, which school staff can print, so everyone knows what the steps are if a pupil is having an asthma attack.Sarah Bage acknowledged that her son’s school has been very supportive of his condition. “All his teachers understand how his asthma presents and have a copy of his asthma action plan,” she said.“They also know what to do if his symptoms get worse, which is very reassuring. I know we are fortunate as not all schools are as asthma aware.“It helps too that Noah can advocate for himself and feels empowered to ask for help.”Related...If Your Kids Have Asthma, Wash Your Christmas Tree – A Doctor Explains WhyPollen Triggered This Eight-Year-Old's Asthma Attacks – They're So Severe His Mum Had To Quit Work4 Tips For Exercising When Your Asthma Gets In The Way

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