Lack of awareness in Wales putting children with asthma at risk
04 May 2010

Shocking new data* released by Asthma UK Cymru on World Asthma Day (4 May) suggests that 89% of adults in Wales would not be completely confident about what to do if a child with asthma in their care had an asthma attack.

Asthma is believed by many to be a mild and harmless condition, yet in Wales more than 1,400 Welsh children with asthma are admitted to hospital every year. Asthma is the most common long-term condition in children in the UK and affects one in nine children in Wales are affected.

The lack of awareness about asthma among teachers and other school staff in particular, was highlighted by the recent inquest into the death of 11 year old Samuel Linton, from Stockport, who was left in a corridor at school for several hours after suffering an asthma attack. The inquest found that school staff lacked vital training on how to recognise an asthma attack and what to do in an emergency situation.

Nia Jeffreys, National Director for Asthma UK Cymru, says: ‘The lack of knowledge that exists about asthma in Wales is shocking and dangerous and cannot continue. Every member of the public needs to know the signs of worsening asthma and what steps to take if someone suffers an asthma attack. Not acting quickly enough can result in needless deaths that shatter lives. Parents who have lost children to asthma have told us they feel that a more proactive approach from health professionals might have made a crucial difference. That’s why we are working closely with a number of key Assembly Members from all four parties on World Asthma Day in an effort to improve levels of asthma care in Wales’.

Asthma UK recommends that anyone unsure of what to do in an asthma attack should order an Asthma Attack Card, to support children and adults with the condition.  The wallet sized card carries life saving information on the simple steps to take and can be ordered through asthma.org.uk, by calling 0800 121 62 55 or emailing info@asthma.org.uk
 
The majority of life threatening asthma attacks could be avoided through better routine asthma management and the use of tools such as personal asthma action plans. Asthma UK’s advice for everyone with asthma is to have an action plan as those with a plan are four times less likely to suffer a serious asthma attack requiring hospital treatment. Asthma action plans play a key part in helping people to stay in control of their asthma. Completed with you by your doctor or nurse, it contains details about your asthma medicines, how to tell when your symptoms are getting worse and what to do, including in the case of an asthma attack. In Wales, all patients with chronic respiratory conditions including asthma should have individual care plans in place. Action plans are available from your surgery or from Asthma UK.

World Asthma Day coincides with Asthma UK’s annual fundraising week Putting Asthma in the Limelight, which runs from 1 to 9 May. This year the week is led by Heart DJ Toby Anstis and people are urged to raise funds to enable Asthma UK to fund research that will result in new treatments for adults and children with asthma and provide support and advice to over 314,000 people in Wales with asthma. Supporters are encouraged to help by being sponsored to wear a lime green wig for the day, selling lime iced cakes in the office or having a karaoke night with friends as part of a UK wide Big Sing Song organised on World Asthma Day.
 

*From a representative sample of 2,221 people across the UK in a survey by YouGov Plc in April 2010

• There are 1.1m children with asthma in the UK
• Asthma attacks result in more than 27,000 emergency hospital admissions each year among those aged 14 or under
• 1 in 8 of those aged under 15 experience asthma attacks so severe they can’t speak
• Many hospital admissions for asthma and asthma deaths could be avoided if parents, carers and children themselves knew how to manage asthma better on a day to day basis
• Around 10% have such severe, difficult to control asthma, that it can’t be controlled by any of the treatments currently available

• To order free Asthma Attack cards and Personal Asthma Action Plans please call 0800 121 62 55 or email info@asthma.org.uk  
• To request a fundraising pack or media pack visit asthma.org.uk/limelight or call 0800 121 62 55. The media pack is available bilingually in Welsh and English
• Asthma UK is the charity dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the 5.4 million people in the UK whose lives are affected by asthma, including 314,000 people in Wales
• For up-to-date news on asthma, information and publications, visit the Asthma UK website asthma.org.uk.
• For independent and confidential advice on asthma, call the Asthma UK Adviceline, which is staffed by asthma nurse specialists. It is open weekdays from 9am to 5pm on 0800 121 62 44.