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

Shocking new data* released by Asthma UK Northern Ireland on World Asthma Day (4 May) suggests that 89% of adults in Northern Ireland 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 Northern Ireland more than 600 children are admitted to hospital as a result of asthma every year. Asthma is the most common long-term condition in childhood and one in eleven children in Northern Ireland are affected.

The lack of awareness about asthma among teachers and other school staff was also highlighted recently following the inquest into the death of 11 year old Samuel Linton, from Stockport in the North West of England, 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.

Joan O’Hagan, Director of Asthma UK Northern Ireland, says: ‘The complacency that exists about asthma in Northern Ireland 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. The Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) also needs to take a zero tolerance approach to asthma deaths - 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.’

Asthma UK Northern Ireland recommends that anyone unsure of what to do in an asthma attack should order an Asthma Attack Card, to support the 182,000 children and adults in Northern Ireland 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

On World Asthma Day, Tuesday 4 May, Asthma UK Northern Ireland will be holding an event outside Belfast City Hall, to advise people with asthma and parents of children with asthma on what to do during an asthma attack. The event will also highlight the importance of people with asthma having a written asthma action plan, as those with a plan are four times less likely to suffer a serious asthma attack requiring hospital treatment. Completed with you by your doctor or nurse, an asthma action plan 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. Action plans are available from people’s local GP surgeries or can be requested from Asthma UK.

Health promotion stands will also be visible throughout Northern Ireland on 4 May, in shopping centres, pharmacies, GP surgeries and other healthcare settings such as hospital wards and clinics, to offer people with asthma an opportunity to speak to a healthcare professional about the condition and find out about the benefits of having an asthma action plan.

World Asthma Day coincides with Asthma UK Northern Ireland’s annual fundraising week Putting Asthma in the Limelight, which runs from 1 to 9 May. This year, people are urged to raise money to enable Asthma UK Northern Ireland to fund research that will change the lives of the sickest children and adults with asthma, and specialist services than can save lives, such as ‘Alert to Asthma’ training sessions for teachers.  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 which is being held on 4 May.

*Data is from YouGov Plc.  Total UK sample size was 2273 adults, which included 52 people in Northern Ireland. Fieldwork was undertaken between 13 - 15 April 2010.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).

About asthma

• There are 1.1m children with asthma in the UK, including 36,000 in Northern Ireland
• Asthma attacks result in 605 emergency hospital admissions each year among those aged 14 or under in Northern Ireland
• 1 in 8 of those aged under 15 years in the UK 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% of people with asthma have such severe symptoms that it can’t be controlled by any of the treatments currently available
  

About Asthma UK 

• 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
• 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 182,000 people in Northern Ireland
• 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