Hot off the Helpline: March edition

Meet the team

I’m Ellie, a Specialist Respiratory Dietitian working with the Asthma + Lung UK helpline. I’ve been with the charity for around a year now. 

Most of my working day is spent helping people on our helpline with dietary related questions, specifically around nutrition for lung health. Whether that’s helping someone understand the nutrition they need for their lung condition or, providing someone with manageable changes in their diet, e.g. for weight loss or gain, I’m here to provide that insight and guidance. I also provide specialist advice to attendees of our support groups.

I have a varied specialist background in dietetics, which is the science of how nutrition affects our health. My previous respiratory roles have been within the NHS, on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. I enjoy connecting with patients, thinking about holistic approaches and making realistic plans tailored to them.

I’m looking forward to continuing to work with this lovely team at Asthma + Lung UK, helping to give our supporters confidence in managing their nutrition. In the future, I’ll be reviewing and creating some nutrition focussed Asthma + Lung UK content, so please keep an eye out for this!

Top questions on the helpline this month

How can I manage my child’s asthma symptoms better?

We’ve had a few calls from healthcare professionals, schools and parents about managing asthma for children ages 6 and older. 

Symbicort turbohaler is a dry powder medication now licensed for maintenance and reliever therapy (MART) in children. It simplifies how we manage children’s asthma using one inhaler for both daily background maintenance and symptom relief.

Historically, treatment for asthma has involved using both reliever and preventer regimens. Many people used a blue inhaler - a reliever inhaler used when symptoms occur - and a brown inhaler - a preventer inhaler used daily to reduce inflammation. While these are still used, the guidelines have evolved to recommend a MART approach because multiple studies have shown that relying on a reliever alone can increase the risk of asthma attacks.

No child should be on a reliever-only treatment without a preventer inhaler (an inhaled corticosteroid) as it can make their asthma harder to control and put them at risk of an asthma attack.

We call asthma uncontrolled or poorly controlled when someone is getting regular symptoms. This means they need to use their reliever inhaler 3 or more days a week or have any waking at night due to asthma symptoms. 

If you are concerned about your child’s asthma, please go and speak with your health care professional and arrange an urgent review. Our information will help you understand how asthma is treated in children and how you can lower your child’s risk of an asthma attack. 

I’m recovering from pneumonia, when can I expect to make a full recovery?

Pneumonia is a type of chest infection. It affects the tiny air sacs (alveoli) in your lungs. When you have pneumonia, these air sacs get swollen and fill with fluid. This makes it harder for you to breathe.

Bacteria and viruses (flu, RSV for example) are common causes of pneumonia and while anyone can develop pneumonia, there are individual factors can increase your risk of developing it. Your age, a weakened immune system, lung conditions, other health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, and smoking can all increase your risk. 

Having any vaccinations you are invited for can reduce your risk. Vaccinations that can reduce your chance of getting pneumonia include flu, covid, pneumococcal and RSV.

Everyone’s recovery can be different. Some people feel better and are able to return to their normal routines within a week. For other people, it can take a month or more. Rest is important to help you make a full recovery.

Book a GP appointment if you’re worried about your recovery. If your symptoms are still affecting you after 6 weeks, ask for a review by your GP surgery. They might need to arrange a chest x-ray and other tests to see why you are not fully recovered. This will show them if your pneumonia is gone and they will also use it to check if there are other problems with your lungs.

I look after someone with a lung condition - what help is available to support me?

We talk to many different people on the helpline. People calling in about their individual health, relatives wanting to support loved ones, health care professionals looking for advice to support their patients and school staff exploring ways to manage lung health with their pupils. 

We frequently get calls from people because they want to support someone they care for with their lung condition. They often call because they are unsure what to do in a situation. We can provide clear, practical advice on symptoms to watch for and how to follow a management plan. We explain when to call help and give step-by-step advice for situations like breathlessness attacks. 

We can also offer advice on benefits and financial help that may be available. The number of people combining unpaid care with paid work has increased significantly in recent years and there’s a big need for support from many people. 

If you’re new to caring for someone with a lung condition, it may help you to find out more about their condition.

Find out more about how we can help support you as a carer. 

I'm having difficulty with my hospital appointment - what can I do?

We speak to many callers about their care while under a respiratory team at the hospital and this can be met with some difficulties. Often, conversations are about long wait times or repeated cancellations, difficulty getting referrals from GP’s, poor communication from hospital staff, and feeling dismissed or not listened to. We can sometimes help you to understand what the issue might be. find practical steps to help you overcome some barriers and listen to your clinical concerns. Sometimes just talking things through can help reduce your frustrations and help you understand your lung health care. 

Find out how to get better care for your lung condition. 

Healthy lung habits 

In January we introduced ‘Healthy lung habits’ where we will talk about a topic a month that helps with keeping your lungs healthy. This month we discuss the impact of diet on lung health.

Maintaining a healthy diet and staying hydrated is important. Diet plays a major role in managing lung conditions because what you eat directly affects breathing efficiency, inflammation levels, immune strength, and energy. Your body often works harder just to breathe which changes your nutritional needs.

Key dietary habits for better lung health include maintaining a healthy weight, adequate hydration, and limiting salt, trans fats, and saturated fats. Consuming high-fibre foods and sufficient protein helps maintain respiratory muscle strength and can help prevent chronic lung conditions. 

Find out how to make healthy choices and get help with eating and drinking if you’re struggling. 

Support group spotlight

Condition specific webinars

We hold condition-specific webinars centred around Bronchiectasis, COPD, Long Covid and Severe Asthma.

Our webinars are held around the awareness days of four major conditions: 

Long Covid Awareness Day - Sunday 15 March

World Asthma Day - Tuesday 5 May

World Bronchiectasis Day - Wednesday 1 July

World COPD Day - Wednesday 18 November 

We also have online sessions for people who have been newly diagnosed with asthma or COPD.

Important dates this month 

International Long COVID Awareness Day - March 15 2026 

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the symptoms of Long COVID, and the NHS support available to those suffering from the condition.

Thank you for reading this month’s blog. Stay tuned for next month’s edition.