Asthma

Asthma causes recurrent breathlessness, wheezing and difficulty in breathing. It affects one in five children at some time in their lives. In many cases it improves or clears up in early adulthood.

Occasionally adults can also develop asthma. During an attack, the lining of the airways in the lungs becomes swollen causing them to narrow and produce a sticky mucus. This makes it harder to breathe, resulting in coughing and wheezing. Attacks can be triggered by pollen, dust, fur from pets, exercise (especially in cold air), stress, cigarette smoke or other air pollutants. The physiotherapist can teach you and your child how to use an inhaler in order to prevent attacks and can give other advice to reduce the risk of attacks and to promote your child's exercise tolerance. Physiotherapists also advise on techniques to clear secretions from the child's lungs and on breathing control, relaxation, and the child's positioning during an attack.

Asthma UK
Summit House
70 Wilson Street
London EC2A 2DB

Tel: 020 7786 4974
Fax: 020 7256 6075
Email: info@asthma.org.uk
Asthma UK Adviceline: 08457 01 02 03
Asthma website

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