Parents often wait too long to treat children's asthma symptoms
19 February 2010

Parents of children with asthma often recognise signs that their child is about to have an asthma attack but delay treatment at home until the attack occurs, according to an American study.

The study was brought about by comments received from two ‘asthma coaches’ employed by Washington University School of Medicine. The coaches are trained to help families dealing with asthma by offering information and social support.

While talking to parents of children with asthma, the coaches noticed that parents were often unsure of exactly how to use salbutamol, a bronchodilator that relaxes uscles in the airways and increases airflow to the lungs, when they noticed signs that their child's asthma symptoms were worsening.

The coaches telephoned 101 parents of children aged 2-12 years old who had recent visits to the emergency department in Washington with an asthma attack or who had called the hospital's after hours call centre. The coaches asked the parents about how they detected that their child was about to have an asthma attack and what they did to prevent or treat it.

Parents reported noticing signs such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness or pain, cold or allergy symptoms, or even behavioural signs such as becoming quiet or more temperamental.

Dr Jane Garbutt, who led the study, said: ‘Every time the child had an exacerbation, many parents noticed the same medley of signs preceding it. But even though they noticed the signs consistently, they often didn't do anything about it. If parents had known to give albuterol  (salbutamol) earlier, they may have been able to manage things at home and avoid a trip to the emergency room.’

Dr Elaine Vickers, Research Relations Manager at Asthma UK, said: ‘It’s essential that parents know what to do if their child’s asthma gets worse.

‘We advise any parent who feels unsure to visit their GP or asthma nurse and ask for regular reviews and a written asthma action plan for their child, so that they know exactly what to look out for and what actions to take.’

This study was published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.