"childhood" asthma and covid

[OnNaturesCourse]

So our little one has just been diagnosed with asthma. 3 years old so have been told it's likely childhood and they will grow out of it, plus it's trigger seems to be seasonal ie cold weather.

Been given an inhaler (blue) and advised this is to treat the symptoms but the brown inhaler is not needed as it's not "active" as in having asthma attacks etc.

My question is, after many hours searching the Internet, is there any clear advice on what this means in terms of covid?

Will my child be at higher risk?
Can they still go to informal childcare?
Can they return to formal childcare in January?

Everything I have found online is very vague. I do plan on contacting the asthma clinic but in the mean time I thought I'd reach out on here...

My 8 yr old has asthma, takes 2 preventative inhalers twice per day. Uses reliever usually if unwell with any kind of illness. We all had Covid in October, he had it mildest with no asthma symptoms and recovered most quickly. He did not cough once. Not scientific I know but from our own experience and that of friends I can accept that young children are less affected.

I would just check with a Paediatric asthma specialist (our GP nurse practitioner is) that a preventer is not helpful. I think it is unusual to just rely on the reliever. Children in the UK are not diagnosed with before 5, even if they need the treatment, so I'd check again. Good luck!

Yes, they did say the tests were not able to be conducted until age 5 but they were diagnosing based on symptoms just now.

In terms of the inhalers, I don't know, I was advised as DC isn't having attacks she doesn't need the brown inhaler. She is suffering with a sore chest occasionally, a cough in the morning and if she's out in the cold plus wheezing and "grunting", plus she gets out of breath and tires quickly if playing outside.

Interesting to know it effected your son the least, hope you are all okay now!

We are just about better I think, just! Keep an eye on the frequency of flare ups, I found Asthma UK good for advice. I have (some) peace of mind with an oxymetre at home, it was about £20 from Argos. We had to tinker with the preventers but gone from using the blue every week to just when a virus kicks in, really big difference.

Please have a look at asthma Uk and their forum healthunlocked. Their asthma nurses are brilliant and will be able to answer any questions.

My kids and I all have asthma and haven't been told we are higher risk. At first they thought people with asthma would be but it's not a straightforward respiratory virus - it's also circulatory. Some evidence has even pointed to asthma sufferers being LESS likely to be affected.

Thanks everyone. Finding it hard to get a straight answer anywhere, and it's all new to us.

Asthma sufferer and asthma mum here.
I second that the medical advice on preventers sounds a bit odd. It doesn’t accord with my experience. My children (nor I) have never ever had “attacks” in the normal sense of the word yet my GP and the two consultants we have seen have taken a daily cough and some wheezing and breathlessness seriously enough to prescribe preventers. Well controlled asthma doesn’t leave a child with pain and breathlessness etc. I would ask for a referral to the clinic etc as advised above, just to get a second opinion.
I really wouldn’t worry about covid etc, just carry on as normal but do get her checked as she will be in the best position to fight seasonal viruses with well controlled asthma. Good luck.