Asthma is the most common serious medical condition among children, and it is on the increase. It has a huge impact on children and their families, but schools and nurseries need to know how to cope, too. In this book, written for families and others caring for children with asthma, Jill Eckersley provides the information you need to know about your child's condition. She explains:

what asthma is and what causes it

diagnosis and treatment - talking to your doctor

everything you need to know about inhalers and other medication

how to find, and avoid, your child's 'triggers'

asthma, eczema and food allergies

how to help your child cope at school

what to do in an emergency

complementary therapies - which ones work

Asthma can be a very serious problem for children, but it needn't be. Coping with Childhood Asthma gives you the information and advice you need to help you and your child cope confidently.

Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Asthma - A modem epidemic

The heredity factor

Asthma triggers

Getting professional help

Managing asthma

What carers, childminders and teachers should know

'Will he grow out of it?'

Complementary medicine

What about the future?

Further help

Appendix 1: Vital facts to remember about asthma

Appendix 2: The asthma charter

Index

Introduction

Perhaps you have picked up this book because you are a parent whose child has just been diagnosed asthmatic, and you are wondering exactly what that means. Or you are a teacher, nursery nurse or carer with an asthmatic child or children among your charges and you want to know more about the condition.

In that case, read on. This book aims to answer the most frequently asked questions about the condition, including what asthma is and how the treatments your child will be offered actually work. There is, as yet, no cure for asthma, but that doesn't mean it can't be managed. One of the experienced asthma nurses we interviewed said that the goal of modem asthma treatment is to enable affected children and their families to lead a normal life, with only minor adjustments to their lifestyle.

A National Asthma Campaign Scotland survey and report in 2002 identified five key concerns for parents:

getting an accurate and early diagnosis;

a lack of support from the child's school;

negative experiences at Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments;

substandard care from their GP;

anxiety about medication;

All those concerns are currently being addressed by asthma experts, including those we spoke to for this book. Early diagnosis of asthma is difficult, especially in very young children, because there are so many other conditions like bronchiolitis and croup which can make children wheeze - one of the most characteristic symptoms of asthma. More and more schools now have policies in place to cater for children with asthma so that they can continue to benefit from their education with their asthma taken into account. Hospital A&E departments have also recognized that separate facilities for sick children, staffed by trained paediatric nurses, are the way forward. Many GP surgeries now offer specialist asthma clinics staffed by nurses with expertise in childhood asthma, including the latest and most up-to-date information about asthma medication and its possible side-effects. No one would claim that asthma care is perfect but it is improving all the time. Many doctors recognize that parents are often the best judges of their child's condition and stress that asthma management is about teamwork.

First of all, it might help to know you are far from being alone. In the UK, 1.4 million children are being treated for asthma, according to the National Asthma Campaign. It is almost three times more prevalent than any other childhood medical condition. There are 2.5 million parents of children with asthma in the UK.

Asthma impacts not only on the child, with frequent episodes of wheezy illness which can be frightening, time off school, visits to the GP and inhospitable A&E departments, but also on the family, leading to constant anxiety and sleepless nights. The National Asthma Campaign reports that a quarter of parents are woken one or more nights a week because of their child's asthma and one in six parents has had to take time off work to care for their asthmatic child. Schools, nurseries and playgroups are also affected, with many staff willing to help, but concerned that they have not received training and support from their employer, so that they are reluctant to administer medication or simply don't know what to do.

Both the National Asthma Campaign and the British Lung Foundation are carrying out research into the causes of asthma, campaigning for better resources and treatment, and offering support to affected families.

So what, exactly, is asthma, and why are so many of today's children affected by it? Read on...

About the author

Jill Eckersley is a freelance writer with many years' experience of writing on health topics. She is a regular contributor to women's and general-interest magazines, including Good Health, Bella, Ms London, Goodtimes, Woman's Realm and other titles. Coping with Snoring and Sleep Apnoea (2003) was Jill's first book for Sheldon Press. She lives beside the Regent's Canal in north London with two cats.