THE EVER-DEVELOPING world has seen a rise in pollution levels – and Tameside’s children are particularly affected, with one of the biggest hospital admission rates in England.
But what is being done to try and stop the problem becoming bigger?
Nicole Turner, specialist pharmacy technician in paediatric asthma at Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, has told The Correspondent ahead of World Asthma Day on Tuesday, May 6.
WORLD Asthma Day is a yearly event to raise awareness about asthma, a chronic respiratory disease affecting about 5.4 million (1.1 million of these are children) in the UK alone.
About three people die from asthma in the country each day.
And it is having a huge effect on children in Tameside. We have one of the highest admission ratings in England.
The area has more than three times the nation’s average of hospital admissions in children under the age of 19.
Some of the key factors that have an impact on the children in our area are deprivation, outside and inside pollution and second-hand smoke.
Secondly, the education around asthma and how important it is to take medications which are prescribed.
The asthma team at Tameside Hospital is trying to get the number of admissions down, as we know that each admission a child has to hospital in relation to their asthma increases their chances of having a life-threatening episode.
One of the projects we have going on at the minute includes seeing patients for asthma reviews.
If the child has been into accident and emergency with theirs, we educate families on the importance of taking medications as they are prescribed.
We are also going through allergies and triggers and signposting families to Allergy UK, which has some great tips on how to deal with allergies, such as removing teddies from children’s beds so they are free from dust mites and ways to improve damp and mould in their houses and how to seek help with living conditions.
We are also conducting FENO tests – which measures the levels of nitric oxide on the lungs and indicates inflammation.
Children can “suffer” In silence as they think the way they are living is just “normal”, these tests allow us to see the bigger picture on what is going on inside the lungs.
We are having a big push on trying to get families to quit smoking in order to give children the best possible chance at life.
We now have devices at Tameside Hospital to measure the levels of carbon monoxide (the chemical from second-hand smoke) in the child’s blood from their breath.
And we are referring patients and families who want to quit to `BE WELL Tameside’, a group which offers free advice and guidance to anyone in the area.
There’s also a free app called Manchester Smoke Free for anyone wanting to quit smoking.
There are some small things you can do to help the children in Tameside.
Walk to school, to stop air pollution around schools, or park away from it and walk a short distance. If you do have to drive to school, please don’t leave your car idling, switch off the engine.
Ensure your child is taking their inhaler as they should be, even if you think “they are well.”
The Asthma UK website has Inhaler technique videos available – this way you can ensure your child is getting their full dose of medication.
Take all used/unwanted inhalers to your community pharmacy to be destroyed of correctly, never just throw them into your general waste, this has a negative impact on the air quality in Tameside. Refer yourself on BE WELL Tameside or download the Manchester Smoke Free app to start your smoke-free journey.
Did you know?
Having an allergy and asthma is very serious and can lead to higher risks of severe exacerbation?
Blue inhalers mask asthma symptoms instead of treating them?
Even if you are under a hospital for your asthma, you should still have an annual review with the GP asthma nurse?
Asthma is a variable condition? So an attack every two years doesn’t mean your asthma is controlled in between this time.