Asthma in children 

With the right treatment and management, asthma should not restrict your child’s life.

Sleeping

Symptoms at night are an indication that asthma is poorly controlled. Your child might wake up some nights coughing or with a tight chest. Poor sleep can affect your child’s behaviour, concentration and their ability to learn.

Achieving good control of asthma using the treatment your GP recommends will reduce symptoms, which means your child should sleep better.

Exercise

Children and young people should do at least 60 minutes (1 hour) of aerobic activity every day, which should include a mix of moderate-intensity (i.e. fast walking) and vigorous-intensity (i.e. running) activities. Children generally want to be active, so if they are reluctant to do exercise it may be an indication that their asthma is not fully controlled.

If your child has asthma symptoms during or after exercise, speak to their doctor or asthma nurse. It is likely that they will review your child's general symptoms and personal asthma plan to make sure their asthma is under control.

The doctor or asthma nurse may also tell your child to:

• Use a reliever inhaler (usually blue) 10-15 minutes before they exercise and again after two hours of non-stop exercise or when they finish.
• Start with warm-up exercises. 
• Try to structure their exercise plan around short-burst activities.
• Exercise in humid environments. 
• Breathe through their nose if possible to avoid excessively rapid and deep breathing (hyperventilation).
• Cool down correctly once exercise is finished.

Keeping well

Some medical conditions, such as rhinitis and sinusitis, are known to aggravate asthma. In children with asthma and allergic rhinitis, treating the allergic rhinitis as well as the asthma can help bring the asthma under control.

Want to know more?

• Asthma UK: Healthy lifestyles.

It is important, where possible, to identify the triggers of your child's asthma by making a note of when symptoms get worse and, sometimes, using their peak flow meter during exposures to certain situations. Some triggers, such as air pollution, viral illness or certain weather conditions, can be hard to avoid. Other triggers, such as dust mites, fungus spores or pet fur, can sometimes be avoided.

Want to know more?

• Asthma UK: Asthma triggers A-Z.

Most children with well-controlled asthma can learn and participate in their school’s activities completely unaffected by their condition. However, it is important to tell the school if your child has asthma and to make sure that they have information about your child’s asthma medicines.

You will need to supply the school with a reliever inhaler for your child to use if they experience symptoms during the school day.

Staff at the school should be able to recognise worsening asthma symptoms and know what to do in the event of an attack, particularly staff supervising sport or physical education.

Your child’s school should have an asthma policy in place, which you can ask to see.

Want to know more?

• Asthma UK: Your child at school.
• Asthma UK: Nursery and childcare.
• Asthma UK: Schools and early years.

Quality of life

Poorly controlled asthma can have an adverse impact on your child's quality of life. The condition can lead to:

• fatigue
• underperformance or absence from school
• psychological problems, including stress, anxiety and depression

Children may also feel excluded from their school friends if they cannot take part in games, sports and social activities.

If you feel that your child's asthma is seriously affecting their quality of life, contact your GP or asthma clinic. Your child's personal asthma action plan may need to be reviewed to control their asthma better.

Death

Asthma is the most common long-term condition in children and it can be life threatening. In the UK in 2008, 29 children under the age of 14 died from asthma. Your child’s personal asthma action plan will help you and them recognise the symptoms of an asthma attack, what to do and when to seek medical attention.

You may find it helpful to talk about your experience of your child’s asthma with other people in a similar position. Asthma UK provides a forum for parents and carers to discuss their experiences.

Want to know more?

• Chat about asthma online at Asthma UK’s forum.