Coronation Street and asthma
Did you watch Liam being diagnosed with asthma on Coronation Street? Leanne, a Respiratory Nurse Specialist for our Helpline, chats about Liam’s story, asthma and asthma triggers.
You might have seen the recent Coronation Street storyline about a 12-year-old boy having an asthma attack while playing football in the street. While this is a soap opera, this is a storyline that plays out in real life all the time.
Liam’s story
The boy Liam had no previous asthma diagnosis. However, he had experienced some asthma-like symptoms before his asthma attack: a bit of a cough and a tight chest, which the doctor put down to a virus.
After the attack, and once the paramedics reach and stabilise him, Liam is taken to hospital, where he is diagnosed with asthma. The storyline, with the help of the hospital doctor, goes on to explore triggers, including air pollution – particularly fumes from vehicles on the street where he lives. His mother confronts people on the street about their vehicles.
Getting an asthma diagnosis
Getting an asthma diagnosis can take time and lots of people, including children, can have signs and symptoms for a while. It can take a while to get all the necessary tests involved in being able to make an asthma diagnosis, although it is possible to be prescribed asthma medicines if a GP suspects that your child has asthma before the diagnosis is confirmed.
Read about what’s involved in getting an asthma diagnosis for your child.
Asthma attacks and urgent appointments
Dealing with an asthma attack is difficult for any parent, especially if your child hasn’t had an official asthma diagnosis. An asthma attack happens when symptoms get a lot worse – this can happen gradually over a few days, or it can happen all of a sudden.
Signs of an asthma attack in a child include them finding it hard to breathe and being unable to walk or talk. There can be lots of signs of an asthma attack and knowing what to do could save their life. It’s important to stay calm in this situation and get help as soon as possible – try to calm your child down as well.
If your child already has asthma and they’re having to use their reliver inhaler (usually blue) three or more times a week, it’s a sign that their asthma isn’t well controlled. If this happens, call your GP surgery and ask for an urgent (same day) appointment. Asthma UK Respiratory Nurse Debby Waddell has some top tips on how to get an urgent appointment for your child in her blog.
Asthma triggers
Lots of people with asthma have ‘triggers’. This is anything that irritates your airways and sets off your asthma symptoms. There are lots of potential triggers and everyone with asthma is different in terms of what they react to. Some people’s symptoms can be set off by pollen, thunderstorms, cold weather or cigarette smoke.
Exercise as an asthma trigger
In Liam’s storyline in Coronation Street, there are a few different triggers at play. One of these is exercise, with Liam playing football regularly. If you’re looking after your asthma well, you should be able to enjoy exercise without your asthma symptoms being triggered.
Needing to take your reliever inhaler (usually blue) before, during or after exercise is a sign that your asthma or your child’s asthma is currently not well controlled. Reasons for this can include:
they’re not taking your preventer inhaler every day, as prescribed
they have difficult to control or severe asthma
they are being affected by other allergies or triggers.
Read about how to help your child stay active if they have asthma.
Air pollution as an asthma trigger
Air pollution can be a risk factor for anyone with asthma. And for Liam this appears to be one of his triggers. It can be difficult to avoid pollution, especially if you live in a town or a city, but there are a few things you can do to help stop it triggering your asthma.
This includes checking the pollution forecast in your area with DEFRA's UK-wide forecasts and avoiding pollution hotspots like main roads, junctions, bus stations and car parks.
Read more about Asthma UK’s policy work on air pollution, to find out what we’re doing to help people with asthma.
And if you want to start campaigning for clear air like Liam’s mum Maria, sign up to be a Clean Air Hero with our sister charity British Lung Foundation.
Asthma and your child
If you or your child has asthma, it’s important to make sure they stay well with their asthma. You can do this by following our 5 top tips:
Make sure they take their preventer inhaler every day, as prescribed.
Keep their reliever inhaler (usually blue) easily reachable at all times, so they can get to it if their symptoms start up.
Get and use an asthma action plan – speak to your GP or asthma nurse if your child doesn’t have one.
Make sure your child can use their inhaler and spacer properly. This helps their medicines work in the best way possible and makes their asthma easier to manage. Why not use three minutes of your time to take a watch of our inhaler technique videos, or watch them with your child?
If your child is needing to use their reliever inhaler three times a week or more, book an appointment with their GP or asthma nurse. You can talk through their symptoms and they can suggest what might be causing them.
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