Is your child’s asthma ready for the new school year?
Dr Seb Gray, Consultant Paediatrician at Dr Helen Medical, Ringwood
September brings new uniforms, fresh routines and a return to busy classrooms. It can also bring a noticeable rise in asthma attacks among children and young people, known as the September asthma surge.
This happens because several common triggers arrive at once. Children begin mixing closely again, so coughs and colds spread quickly. Dust, mould and other allergens may be present in classrooms, while preventer inhalers can sometimes be forgotten during the more relaxed summer holidays. The return to PE lessons and sports may also highlight symptoms that were less obvious over the summer.
How can I tell if my child’s asthma is well controlled?
Most children with well-controlled asthma should be able to sleep through the night, attend school regularly and take part in exercise without troublesome coughing, wheezing or breathlessness.
It is worth arranging a review if your child is waking at night, struggling to keep up during sport, avoiding activities, coughing regularly or needing their reliever inhaler more often than expected. These signs can suggest that their treatment or inhaler technique needs checking.
What should parents check before school starts?
Make sure inhalers are in date and contain enough medication. Continue preventer treatment exactly as prescribed and check that your child is using their inhaler and spacer correctly. Their personalised asthma action plan should be up to date, with a copy given to the school. It is also sensible to confirm where medication will be kept and who knows what to do if symptoms worsen.
A review can be particularly helpful if your child has had symptoms over the summer, recently needed urgent care or has recurrent wheeze without a confirmed asthma diagnosis. Sometimes a small adjustment to treatment or technique can make a significant difference.
When should I seek urgent help?
If your child is struggling to breathe, cannot speak normally, is becoming exhausted or their reliever inhaler is not helping as expected, seek urgent medical assistance.
How can Dr Helen Medical help?
At our Ringwood clinic, Dr Seb provides private paediatric consultations for children and young people, while our experienced private GPs can also assess asthma symptoms, coughing, wheezing and breathlessness.
We take time to understand the whole picture, including symptoms, triggers, current medication, allergies, exercise and inhaler technique, then advise on the most appropriate next steps.
If you are unsure whether your child’s asthma is as well controlled as it could be, book an appointment with Dr Seb or one of our private GPs at Dr Helen Medical. Call 01202 022956 or visit drhelenmedical.co.uk.
CONTACT
Tel. 01202 022 956
Email. reception@drhelenmedical.co.uk
Address. Dr Helen Allergy & Dr Helen Medical, Endeavour House, Crow Arch Lane, Ringwood BH24 1HP
