First Aid

ASTHMA FLARE-UPS IN WINTER

The most common trigger for asthma flare-ups in Australia is respiratory infections such as colds or flu and other viruses.  Staying on top of your asthma control can help prevent flare-ups and help maintain your quality of life all through winter.  Some simple steps to keep you and your family safe and healthy are:

• Cover your coughs and sneezes
• Practice good hand hygiene
• Stay home when you are sick 
• Get vaccinated
• Have an asthma review and update your asthma action plan with your doctor
• Wear a mask when you need to – it can help reduce the spread of viruses

ASTHMA ACTION PLANS

What is an asthma action plan?  It is a written plan developed with your doctor to help manage your asthma.  It provides personalised instructions on recognising when your asthma is worsening and how to adjust your treatment to help.

Benefits of having a plan. 

• Knowing exactly what to do when symptoms change can help to reduce uncertainty and can improve asthma control.
• Effective plans reduce the risk of severe flare ups and hospital visits, especially during risky times like winter.

Review and update your plan with your doctor at least once per year or whenever your treatment changes. Children should have their plan reviewed more often, at least every 6 months. 

For more tips and support you can contact Asthma educators at 1800 278 462 or visit the Asthma Australia website Home - Asthma Australia | The nation’s peak consumer body

Please refer to the below policies for further information:

What is whooping cough (pertussis)? 

Whooping cough is a serious, very contagious respiratory infection caused by the bacterium Bordetella Pertussis. The major symptom of whooping cough is the characteristic cough which is often followed by a ‘whooping’ sound (which is not always obvious) when breathing in. Cold like symptoms often precede the cough, and vomiting after coughing is common. 

The bacterium is spread by airborne droplets from the upper respiratory tract (when the infected person coughs or sneezes). The time from infection to appearance of symptoms (incubation period) is between 6 and 20 days. A person is infectious for the first 21 days of their cough or until they have completed an appropriate course of antibiotics. However, the cough may persist for up to 3 months, despite antibiotic treatment. 

Who is most at risk? 

Babies under 12 months of age are most at risk and the infection can potentially be life threatening for infants aged 6 months and under. They are affected more seriously by the disease than older children or adults and are more likely to develop complications. In Victoria, most reports of whooping cough currently occur in adults over 20 years of age. Household contacts and carers such as parents and siblings are often the source of infection in infants.

What is the treatment for whooping cough?

Whooping cough needs to be diagnosed and treated immediately. In its early stages, the symptoms of whooping cough can be reduced by taking antibiotics. If treatment is given in the first 21 days of the illness, the risk of passing the infection to others might be reduced.

Members of the infected person's household are at increased risk of getting the disease and are usually prescribed a strong antibiotic as a preventative measure, even if they are fully immunised.

Is whooping cough preventable? 

Whooping cough is a vaccine-preventable disease, and the vaccine is provided at no cost under the National Immunisation Program (NIP). Under the NIP, vaccination is recommended for children at 2,4,6, and 18 months and 4 years of age. Adolescents in Year 7 (or age equivalent) are also eligible for a booster. Adults who have not had a dose in the last 10 years are recommended to have boosters. Routine boosters are recommended for certain adult cohorts and includes women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, healthcare workers, earlier childhood educators and carers and people in close contact with infants. Pertussis-containing vaccines protect against severe and typical pertussis. Immunity after receiving a pertussis-containing vaccine does wane over time. It is important for individuals to keep up to date with their vaccinations, including boosters.

For further information on symptoms and prevention refer to the Better Health Channel Whooping cough - Better Health Channel