An increase in back to school asthma attacks likely in Northern Ireland warns lung health charity

The number of asthma emergency admissions for children under 16 more than doubled between August and September in the last two years. In Northern Ireland, asthma affects around 40,000 youngsters.¹ 

The charity highlights that preventer inhaler routines can often get disrupted over the holidays, leading to children's airways becoming more sensitive to asthma triggers when they go back to school. These triggers often include an abundance of viruses and colds as well as dust. 

• Across 2023/24 and 2024/25, asthma emergency admissions among children under 16 more than doubled when children returned to school after the summer holidays.²22
• Autumn term was responsible for 37% (154 out of 421 annual total) of childhood (under 16) asthma emergency admissions in 2024/25.³
• In 24/25 (April 2024 to March 2025), there were 421 asthma emergency hospital admissions for children under 16.

If you are a parent or carer of a child with asthma and are concerned about their return to school, you can help reduce their risk of an asthma attack by doing the following:  

1. Make sure your child is using their steroid preventer inhaler daily, as prescribed. This helps prevent your child’s airways from getting inflamed, which can cause breathlessness or trigger an asthma attack 
2. Check that your child has their reliever inhaler in their school bag so that it’s on hand when they’re experiencing symptoms. If they use a spacer, they should take this with them too 
3. Arrange for your child to have an annual asthma review with their GP or asthma nurse to pick up on early symptoms and ensure they’re using their inhalers correctly 
4. Ask your child’s GP if they can get an extra reliever inhaler to give to their school for emergencies. This should be kept in an easily accessible place that staff are aware of 
5. Make sure to share your child’s up-to-date asthma action plan with their school so they’re aware of their triggers and what symptoms to look out for, and know how to manage any sudden flare ups 
6. If a child is having an asthma attack and their symptoms are not improving with a reliever inhaler or by using their asthma action plan, call 999 and follow our asthma attack advice for children 

Professor Sir Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland said: 

“We welcome this campaign in raising important awareness about asthma. Any respiratory infections and viruses in the classroom can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening asthma attacks so it’s important to practice good respiratory and hand hygiene as these simple measures are important tools in preventing the spread of many illnesses. 

“I would also encourage parents to make sure their child receives the free seasonal flu vaccine in school this autumn. This will help protect not only them your child but also those around them with an underlying health condition.

“It is therefore crucial that we know what to do if a child is affected. This not only requires appropriate medical interventions but also enhanced communication and education to ensure patients, carers and families have the necessary knowledge and skills to manage their condition.”

Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma + Lung UK Northern Ireland, said: 

“When children go back to school after the summer holidays, a rise in the number of asthma attacks is often seen, unfortunately leading to more hospital visits. An increase in viruses, coughs and colds or dust mites in schools could be to blame.

“With this in mind, Asthma + Lung UK Northern Ireland is asking parents and teachers to look out for signs that their child or pupil’s asthma may be worsening. This could be breathlessness, wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and if it is, to take urgent action.

“Over the hectic summer holidays, preventer inhaler routines can sometimes slip, which can leave children much more vulnerable to an asthma attack when they return to school and are around more triggers. 

“As a reminder too for schools, we would encourage them to download our fantastic free Asthma at School poster which can be found on our website, so they are prepared for the new term and know what to do if a pupil does have an asthma attack.”

Hayley, who has three children, Ruben, Mila, and Leighton with asthma and lives in Londonderry said:

“It is always a worrying time when the children go back to school in September, because of circulating viruses and dust. 

“Luckily, because my son Ruben goes to a special needs school as he is autistic and nonverbal, the classes are very small, so it’s not so much of a worry with him and his asthma. 

“Mila, on the other hand, has many allergies and triggers including dust and always picks up bugs especially at the beginning of the autumn term. We try to avoid the dust and the school is great, she doesn’t sit on the carpet, but on a chair and if there are lots of bugs going around, she can do her work in a breakout room. We have a robust asthma care plan in place and have a great relationship with the local asthma nurse. 

“We have a good preventer inhaler routine, including over the holidays and we use antihistamines too. Mila is of an age now she is very conscientious about taking her preventer inhaler and really listens to her body and is confident to ask for help if she needs it.

“My youngest Leighton is just being tested now for asthma, but we will of course be watchful when he returns to school.”

References: 

1. Due to the lack of Northern Ireland-specific data, the prevalence of asthma in children under-16 in England was applied to the under-16 population of Northern Ireland.

Health Survey for England 2018 (report 2019) - NHS England digital. Available at: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/health-survey-for-england/2018 

Dataset estimates of the population for the UK, England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland (2025) - Office for National Statistics. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationestimatesforukenglandandwalesscotlandandnorthernireland

2. Data extract from Northern Ireland Department of Health. Monthly asthma emergency admissions (2023/24 & 2024-25), children (0–15-year-old). Asthma (ICD10: J45-J46 in the primary diagnosis position.

Across a 2-year span (2023/24 - 2024/25), there were, on average, 53 asthma emergency admissions for children under 16 in September, compared to 22 in August.

3. Data extract from Northern Ireland Department of Health. Monthly asthma emergency admissions (2024-25 financial year), children (0–15-year-old). Asthma (ICD10: J45-J46) in the primary diagnosis position.

Autumn term = September-November, 37% of all admissions (154 out of 421)