THE school summer holiday has sadly come to an end, and now that children are back in school it’s important that parents of children with asthma keep an eye out for the early warning signs of an attack.

Children are at a much greater risk of having an asthma attack when they’re back at school, partly due to exposure to triggers such as cold and flu viruses.

In fact, the latest hospital admissions data showed children were 1.7 times more likely to be rushed to hospital following an asthma attack in September than in August.

You should book an urgent appointment with the GP or asthma nurse if your child is: using their reliever inhaler more than three times a week; coughing or wheezing at night; feeling out of breath and struggling to keep up with their friends. Call Asthma UK Helpline on 0300 222 5800 or visit asthma.org.

uk/back-to-school Sonia Munde Asthma UK