Researchers organised for a nurse-led hospital visit followed by a homevisit to look at allergen exposure. They found that when asthma nursesvisited children at home to identify possible asthma triggers, 84 percent of families were taking inadequate steps to avoid house dust mitesand in almost a quarter of homes medication was not easily available orwas out-of-date.
The main causes for poor control of children's asthma were psychosocialfactors in 59 per cent of families, and passive or active smoking in 25per cent.
The nurses found potentially modifiable factors in 79 per cent of thechildren's cases. Following their recommendations, it was unnecessaryfor 55 per cent of children to receive more serious treatment.
The study, 'The importance of nurse-led home visits in the assessment ofchildren with problematic asthma', is published this month in thejournal Archives of Disease in Childhood.
Andrew Bush, professor of paediatric respirology, who led the study withMarcella Bracken-Hall, children's respiratory nurse specialist, both atthe Royal Brompton Hospital, said, 'The findings, which can also beapplied to childcare settings, highlight the real importance of gettingthe basics right. Busy families can easily overlook if children aretaking their medications correctly or if they are out of date'
Erica Evans, lead asthma nurse at Asthma UK, said, 'Even simple changesat home can make a big difference to children's quality of life. We knowthat sticking to a management plan, contact with a doctor or asthmanurse and avoiding known triggers can all play an important part.'
