New children and young people’s asthma toolkit launched
Families in Surrey now have access to videos, advice, guidance and tips all about asthma in children and young people thanks to a new Asthma Toolkit which is live on the Healthy Surrey website.
It is estimated that 1 in 11 children in England have asthma which can affect all aspects of their lives from sleeping well to enjoying school, playing with friends and emotional wellbeing, and last year over 10,000 children in Surrey were prescribed regular asthma medication.
But children and young people can live well with asthma if they know what their triggers might be, how to take their medication properly, and ensure they have an asthma review each year, with an updated personalised asthma action plan, with their GP or practice nurse.
Suzanne Bailey, Senior Specialist Asthma Practitioner, at Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership said:
We wanted the asthma toolkit to help children, young people, parents and carers to understand what asthma is, as well as providing essential information on what to do during and after an asthma attack.
It also offers tips on things that may trigger asthma and how to manage these and we explain how to use inhalers correctly so children and young people get the most from their medication. There is so much that families can do to help those affected live well with asthma and this toolkit is a great place for families to start.
The toolkit has been developed by Suzanne and her colleagues as part of a national pilot project funded by NHS England to help improve diagnosis, treatment and outcomes for children and young people with asthma in Surrey and other parts of the country.
Other work underway in Surrey includes asthma training for some students, asthma clinics for those children and young people on the asthma register who are at risk of an attack, and educational webinars for families.
There is also a toolkit specifically for healthcare staff working across Surrey in GP surgeries, hospitals and in the community so they can better support children and young people with asthma.
Families can access the Asthma Toolkit any time that suits them following the link below.