Asthma adventure breaks benefit kids
19 April 2005

Going on an Asthma UK PEAK holiday can help children and young people with asthma to improve their symptoms, as well as their confidence and self-esteem, the charity has found.

PEAK holidays are week-long breaks run by Asthma UK for children and young people with asthma and related conditions. Supervised by specially-trained volunteers and health professionals, kids join in a variety of physical and social activities such as abseiling, kayaking, quizzes and treasure hunts, as well as educational sessions that teach them how to improve control of their asthma.

Results from before-and-after questionnaires sent out to the 2004 PEAK participants revealed that, three months after the holidays had finished, parents reported:

• a 9% reduction in the number of visits to their child's GP for their asthma
• a 15% reduction in visits to hospital for their child's asthma
• a 10% reduction in the number of days their child missed at school due to their asthma
• an 11% increase in number of nights that their child's sleep was undisturbed by their asthma.

PEAK also gave the youngsters a great psychological boost: 'Samuel's confidence soared both during and after PEAK,' said Mrs Clark, about her nine-year-old son. 'Team work, games and the balance of PEAK activities are brilliant.'

'It's amazing to see how the children change over the course of their PEAK holiday,' said Patrick Ladbury, Asthma UK's Children & Young People's Development Manager. 'Often they are very shy when they first arrive - they may have been teased about their asthma or worried their asthma will stop them taking part in some of the activities. But after a few days there is a complete transformation – the children become more outgoing and confident in managing their condition.'

'Coming to PEAK teaches you that just because you have asthma you don't have to be left out!' added Tonicha Ali, aged nine.

Asthma UK's week-long PEAK adventure holidays are split into two age ranges: 6-11 and 12-17. In 2005 they are being held in the following locations:

23-30 July, Merchiston Castle, Edinburgh
23-28 July, Corrymeela Centre, Ballycastle, Northern Ireland
6-13 August, Tettenhall College, Wolverhampton
13-20 August, Ashville College, Harrogate and Haut de la Garenne YHA, Jersey
20-27 August, Taunton School, Somerset

For further information contact Nina Fox on 020 7704 5866 or email peak@asthma.org.uk