If your child needs their reliever puffer more than two days a week, their asthma may not be under control. On May 5 – World Asthma Day – NPS MedicineWise is advising parents and carers that during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is especially important to have children’s asthma under control and an up-to-date asthma action plan in place.

“Our advice about having an up-to-date asthma action plan applies to anyone with asthma,” says Dr Jill Thistlethwaite, GP and medical adviser at NPS MedicineWise. 

“Having an up-to-date asthma action plan is especially important right now. Like asthma, COVID-19 affects your breathing. If you get COVID-19, your symptoms may be less severe if your asthma is under control. This may also reduce the risk of having to go to hospital, relieving strain on the healthcare system.

“Your doctor can help you create or update your or your child’s asthma plan. This should include which medicines to take, how and when to take them and what to do in an asthma emergency. It is also important to check that puffers are being used correctly.

“If asthma is not well controlled, your doctor may make changes to your or your child’s medicines and asthma action plan,” she said.

More information about asthma
– NPS MedicineWise is currently running a nationwide education program for health professionals and consumers about childhood asthma. Read more about asthma, how is it diagnosed and what can be done about it.
– As well as virtual educational visits to thousands of health professionals across Australia, NPS MedicineWise has teamed up with Asthma Australia and the National Asthma Council to create a consumer fact sheet about wheezing and asthma in children under 6.
– Read more information from NPS MedicineWise about using inhalers (puffers) correctly
– Read more consumer information from Asthma Australia

If you have questions about your medicines you can call Medicines Line on 1300 MEDICINE (1300 633 424) for the cost of a local call (calls from mobiles may cost more).