The start of summer heralds warmer weather, longer days, brighter colours…. And the resurgence of hay fever and with it, an increase in asthma attacks.
Asthma is a condition which leads to wheezing and a shortness of breath as the airways narrow and mucus secretions increase. Asthma sufferers find it increasingly difficult to breath out the waste carbon dioxide from their lungs and therefore it becomes hard to inhale fresh oxygen. Breathing becomes rapid and shallow and can eventually lead to unconsciousness and in very severe attacks, can even be fatal – 3 people die of asthma every day in the UK.
Asthma attacks are always caused by a trigger, which can vary from person to person. These include allergies, animals, hay fever, smoke or pollution, weather (particularly moving from warm to cold air), exercise and stress.
Pollen is a very common trigger and at this time of year with pollen levels on the increase the number of asthma attacks can increase. Tree pollen levels are highest between late March and mid-May; grass pollen is responsible for around 95% of people’s hayfever, with levels highest between mid-May and July. When grass pollen levels are high the number of people hospitalised due to asthma attacks increases. Finally weed pollen levels run highest between the end of June to September.
ACTIONS FOR SCHOOLS
With one in eleven children suffering from asthma there are likely to be at least 2-3 asthmatics in every class.
• Know who the asthmatics are in your class
• Ask parents for information about their child’s asthma triggers
• Keep a reliever inhaler in the classroom, and a spare in the school office (schools can purchase spare inhalers e.g. Eurekadirect.co.uk sell salbutamol inhalers for around £5 each)
• Check your inhalers regularly to ensure they are in date
• Reliever inhalers are usually blue; use these with a spacer if possible as this method delivers the maximum amount of medication straight to the lungs (spare disposable spacers can also be purchased by schools)
• Keep an eye on the weather – and particularly the pollen – forecasts as we head into summer, and ensure inhalers are to hand on high pollen days particularly when taking part in outdoor activities
• If you notice their asthma becoming more troublesome, talk to the pupil’s parents to ensure they are receiving the correct dose of any medication, particularly the ‘preventer’ reliever medication which is normally delivered by brown / red / pink inhalers every morning and evening to help prevent acute attacks
HOW TO TREAT AN ASTHMA ATTACK
• Sit the pupil down, bending forward with their hands on their knees
• Give an initial two puffs of their inhaler ten seconds apart, through a spacer if possible.
• Give an additional puff every minute until their attack has resolved
• If their symptoms do not appear to be getting any better, or are getting worse
(Asthma UK have some great, short videos demonstrating how to use an inhaler - https://bit.ly/2QEvpMg)
If you need more information about Asthma please contact Winterbury Training on 07584 732119 or have a look at the resources on the Asthma UK website (www.asthma.org.uk).