All about asthma - information writen for children with interactive games and animations

Quick links to what's on this page:
	What is asthma
	What causes asthma
	Helping people with asthma
	Animations of helping people with asthma


	Our body is amazing and usually everything works very well. However sometimes we can have some problems. Asthma is a problem of the lungs that affects breathing.


	When someone has an asthma attack and can't breath, this is because their air tubes swell and clog up. This makes breathing hard work and it's difficult to get enough air. For them they feel like they are breathing through a straw. Asthma attacks can make people cough, wheeze and feel weak.


	Asthma attacks can start suddenly or they can take days to develop. They can be mild, moderate or severe. Quite often they start after you have a cold or sore throat.


	Most children with asthma are allergic to something - but why are they allergic - and why do they get asthma? We don't really know the answer to these questions but there are some clues:


	Asthma and allergies almost always start early on in life. Adults hardly ever get new allergies.


	Asthma and allergies are more common in England than in the old days.


	Asthma and allergies are more common in rich countries - like England. They are quite rare in poor countries.


	Allergies are more common in the oldest child of a family


	Can you put all the clues together to think what causes asthma? If you can, then why don't you join all the doctors and scientists who are studying this?

In most cases asthma is easily treatable so that children can lead full and active lives.

One way that people manage asthma is by using inhalers. Sometimes they are also called: puffers.

1. The blue puffers relax muscles and open airways. These are useful for treating an asthma attack

2. The other puffers calm swelling and decrease the amount of mucus in your lungs. These are useful for preventing an asthma attack.

3. Young children find puffers quite hard to use. For them it's easier to use a 'spacer' like this....


	WHAT TO DO IF SOMEONE NEAR YOU HAS AN ASTHMA ATTACK


	1. Ask them if they have a puffer and if they do, help them find it.


	2. Help them use their blue puffer.


	3. Help to keep them calm AND find a grown up as quickly as you can

UK research supported by The Colt Foundation