childrens asthma : will my baby have asthma too

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Will asthma stop my child from taking part in sport

As long as your child's asthma is well controlled s/he should be able to take part in most exercise. In fact many top sportspeople like Paula Radcliffe (runner), Paul Scholes (footballer) and Austin Healey (rugby player) all have asthma. One form of exercise that is excellent for children with asthma is swimming, where the damp atmosphere can be of benefit. Find out if chlorine is one of the things that sets your child's asthma symptoms off first. Team games that allow a rest in between can also be good.

Exercise is a very common trigger of asthma symptoms. If your child's asthma ets worse during exercise, warming up properly for a minimum of five minutes and taking a couple of puffs of their reliever inhaler before starting can help. It is important that your child also has access to their reliever inhaler (blue) whilst they are exercising. If the reliever doesn't help, then it is worth talking to your doctor or nurse as this could be a sign that your child's medication needs to be reviewed.

Asthma at school: how can the school help

It is important to work in partnership with the school if you have a child with asthma. Make sure you tell the school and your child's teacher that your child has asthma ï¿½ a letter describing what their asthma symptoms are, how to recognise when they are getting worse and how they take their medication is useful. You can also get a free school asthma card from Asthma UK to help you do this by calling 020 7786 5000.

Your child should have access to their reliever medicine at all times if it is needed. Make sure your child's reliever medication and/or spacer is labelled with their name. Give a spare inhaler to the teacher or school secretary, which is also labelled. Make sure your child's medication and the spare inhaler are both within their expiry dates. If your child is not well, keep them at home.

My child wants a pet ï¿½ what should we get

Unfortunately, animals are one of the things that commonly set off, or trigger, asthma symptoms. In particular many children with asthma will have their symptoms set off by cats and dogs. There are minute particles, called allergens, which are found in the animal's fur, saliva and urine, which get into the air and are breathed in. This does not affect most people, but people with asthma have sensitive airways and so breathing in the allergens can cause an increase in symptoms.

There are measures you can take to help. Firstly, if you have a furry or feathery pet then keep it outdoors wherever possible. It is especially important to keep pets out of your child's bedroom. Make sure your child always washes their hands after handling the pet. Also find out whether your vet can advise about products you could use to wash the animal about once a week to reduce the amount of allergen exposure for your child.

I have asthma and I am pregnant, will my baby have asthma too

This is one of the main concerns of many women with asthma. Like other allergic conditions, such as hay fever and eczema, asthma often runs in the family, but asthma is a complex condition and other genetic and environmental factors determine whether a child goes on to have asthma.

Research funded by Asthma UK is suggesting that reducing exposure to allergens such as house-dust mite and furry pets (such as cats and dogs) during pregnancy and the first year of the baby's life might reduce the risk of your baby developing asthma. Some, but not all, studies have shown that breast-feeding in the first few months of life may reduce the chance of your baby developing allergic conditions, including asthma.

Studies have also shown that mothers who do not smoke during pregnancy are less likely to have children that develop asthma and wheezing in infancy.

Your asthma treatment won't harm your baby - in fact, your baby will do best if you are breathing well and easily, so it is important that your asthma is well controlled.

If you are concerned about yoru asthma, speak to your doctor, nurse or midwife.