Parents in the Black Country are being reminded of the importance of managing their child’s asthma during winter.
Asthma is a serious chronic disease that affects the airways, and it can cause wheezing, difficulty breathing and coughing.
Some children and young people find that their asthma symptoms get worse during the winter months. This is because common winter illnesses such as colds, flu and respiratory infections, can make asthma symptoms worse and asthma attacks more likely.
That’s why it’s important to practice good hand hygiene and regularly wash hands with water soap to help stop the spread of viruses, and ensure children are up to date with their nasal flu vaccination.
Colder winter air can also cause the muscles surrounding airways to tighten which can make breathing more difficult.
The NHS has created a video with a local GP on how to help manage your child’s asthma this winter. You can watch the video on YouTube.
Viv Marsh, specialist asthma nurse and Black Country clinical lead for children and young people’s asthma transformation, said: “When it’s cold, the air is colder and drier, and breathing this in can irritate airways. Your lungs then react to this by becoming tighter and this makes it more difficult to breathe.
“Our bodies are designed to respond to changes in air temperature, however some people are more sensitive to these changes and may have a stronger reaction, especially those with asthma.
“That’s why it’s vital you stick to your child’s preventer inhaler routine and follow their written asthma action plan, so you’re staying on top of their asthma during the winter months. And don’t forget to carry their reliever/blue inhaler with you all the time, so you can act quickly if cold weather triggers their asthma.
“If being outside in the cold air increases your child’s asthma symptoms, using a scarf over your child’s mouth and nose can also help warm the air as your child breathes to reduce symptoms.”
Dr Abrar Saiyed is a GP in the Black Country and features in the video. He said: “When the weather gets colder, we often spend more time indoors, where asthma can be triggered by dust, damp, mould, less ventilation, indoor smoking or vaping, pet hair or wood smoke.
“It’s important that children and young people take their prescribed medicines, particularly the preventer inhaler, to keep their asthma symptoms under control and prevent an asthma attack.
“If your child needs their blue inhaler more than three times a week, it’s a sign their asthma is not well controlled, so it’s important to an appointment with your child’s GP or asthma nurse to review their asthma as soon as possible.”
For more information on how to manage your child’s asthma, visit the 0-18 Black Country website.
The children's flu vaccine helps protect against flu. It's offered to children aged 2 to 3 years, school-aged children (Reception to Year 11) and children with certain long-term health conditions such as asthma. For more information on the child’s flu vaccine, visit the NHS website.
