More than 1.5 million (1,851430) days of school are missed each year by children with asthma, according to the latest figures from the Asthma Society of Ireland ahead of World Asthma Day, today, 3rd May.

The Asthma Society of Ireland is hosting the first ever Bubble Day to raise much needed funds to create a network of support groups for parents and carers of the 185,143 children* with asthma in Ireland as it is estimated each child misses up to 10 days each year** due to the disease.
 
Asthma is the most common chronic disease in children in Ireland, with 1 in 5 children having asthma. Along with raising vital funds, Bubble Day is about creating awareness of the importance of understanding and managing your child’s asthma as best you can. This will help minimise the impact of this chronic disease on children and families. Tragically, 13 children have died from asthma in the last 12 years.

‘Parents of children with asthma urgently need more information and support to help them better understand and manage their child’s condition, having piloted a parent and carers programme in 2015, the Asthma Society is delighted to now offer a more comprehensive programme to this audience and Bubble Day will allow us to do this across the country if enough funds are raised’ said Pheena Kenny, Head of Health Promotion at the Asthma Society.

The new five-week (15 hour) programme will be delivered by a combination of Asthma Society Health Promotion Staff and Asthma Nurse Specialists. All participants receive a free asthma management pack containing information materials and devices. This programme aims to improve parents/carers confidence in managing their child’s asthma.

 Taking place today 3rd May 2015, World Asthma Day is a global initiative to raise awareness of this chronic disease and increase education of the most effective ways to control and treat asthma.
 
Ireland has the fourth highest incidence of asthma in the world affecting 1 in 10 people and 1 in 5 children. Every 26 minutes someone visits A&E because of asthma and approximately one person a week dies from asthma in Ireland. 

Boots Ireland are partnering with the  Asthma Society and Bubble Day this World Asthma Day to help people to better understand the disease and control it by putting a personal asthma action plan in place. They will be providing free ‘Let’s Breathe easy’ asthma consultations in May.
Susan O’Dwyer, Healthcare Development Manager with Boots Ireland said, “We are delighted to partner with the Asthma Society on this important campaign to raise awareness of the importance of asthma control and management, and highlight the services available in Boots pharmacies year round to better manage this condition. We are encouraging asthma patients to drop into their local Boots pharmacy to avail of the free consultations this month: to check if the correct inhaler technique is being used; for advice on how to get the most out of your medicines; and to get advice on ways to make positive changes to their asthma management

“Many parents and children could benefit from readily available asthma support services, including their local pharmacist or the Asthma Society of Ireland’s Asthma Adviceline to better improve their asthma management and reduce the numbers of people relying on emergency or out-of-hours care.
 
An estimated 300m people worldwide suffer from asthma, 470,000 of whom live in Ireland. It is estimated that the number of people with asthma worldwide will grow by more than 100 million by 2025. Approximately 250,000 people die prematurely each year from asthma. Almost all of these deaths are preventable.
 
The Asthma Society of Ireland aims to provide those with asthma with the information they need to ensure they are not part of these statistics. For advice or support on asthma, or for further information about the Asthma Society of Ireland visit www.asthma.ie

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