IT was the sort of oversight any busy parent might make, a slight misjudgement about vital a medicine was, especially when its effects were invisible.

Natalie Homer thought that her son Isaac's asthma could be kept under control thanks to the relief inhaler he had used since he was five.

But without the help of its partner medicine designed to prevent attacks rather than stop them, the 9-year-old youngster was left badly exposed and ended up fighting for his life when an attack almost overwhelmed his system.

Now his mother is joining with the charity Asthma UK to urge other parents to remain vigilant, with fresh figures showing that hospital admissions for children with asthma increase by more than two thirds when the summer holidays come to a close.

Exposure to more germs from children and the coughs and colds that go with them have been blamed, but the real danger comes from a lack of routine in the summer holidays.

The preventative side of asthma medicine builds up over time, helping to protect the airways.

Forgetting to take preventer medicine - which usually comes in a brown inhaler - leaves them exposed to having asthma attacks triggered by cold and flu viruses, with potentially devastating consequences.

The Herald:

Asthma medicince usually comes into two types of inhaler

Mrs Homer, who is from Edinburgh, said: "When he was diagnosed we were told that if he had an attack he should take a couple of puffs of the reliever inhaler. But we did not realise the importance of the second one, which has to be taken regularly.

"We had a regime in place for him to take it, but were not as consistent with it as we should have been, and didn't realise the risks."

“This came back to bite us when Isaac was rushed to hospital fighting for his life."

Trouble began for the family when Isaac began complaining of feeling unwell, and had a persistent cough at night which didn't seem to be getting better.

A trip to the doctors followed - and medics quickly realised the seriousness of Isaac's condition, offering to call an ambulance to take him to hospital.

But Mrs Homer, 42, said she was yet to make the connection between his asthma and his weakening health, and didn't want to wait on an ambulance, so drove him there instead.

She said: "Isaac was coughing and was really short of breath. I wish I had just taken him straight to the sick children's hospital.

"When we got there he couldn't walk and it was a sign of his body beginning to shut down because he couldn't get the oxygen he needed."

“I had no idea that coughing at night and a tummy ache could be a sign that a major asthma attack was brewing.

She added: "It was so frightening to see his condition deteriorate so quickly, to the point where he couldn’t walk. "

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Isaac in hospital

The asthma attack led to Isaac staying in hospital for five days, where he was treated with steroids.

Now his mother says that taking the preventative inhaler each night has become part of the bedtime routine.

Three years after the asthma attack, Isaac, now 12, has recovered enough to take up running and has recently completed a charity challenge to runs a marathon's distance in a month. 

Mrs Homer said: "We make sure that every night he takes the preventing inhaler, just like he brushes his teeth.

"And the most important thing is making sure  that everyone in the family and the school knows about it so he can go on trips and sleepovers if he wants.

"We also know to monitor his 'peak flow' - the amount of air moving through his lungs - and raise any concerns if it begins to drop.

More than 70,000 children in Scotland have asthma, a condition claimed the lives of over 100 Scots last year. 

Mrs Homer added: "I want to urge other parents to get support from the charity, especially at this time of the year when children are at an increased risk of an asthma attack. Don’t risk it - recognising the signs and taking action quickly could save your child’s life.”

The Herald:

Isaac has made a good recovery

Sonia Munde, Head of Services at Asthma UK said: “Going back to school should be an exciting time for children, but many end up in hospital fighting for life after an asthma attack.

"This is extremely distressing for a child and their parent. It could be avoided if parents know how to spot their child’s asthma is getting worse and know what to do if their child is having an asthma attack.  

 “Parents should not feel afraid to book an urgent appointment with the GP or asthma nurse if their child is using their reliever inhaler (usually blue) three or more times a week, coughing or wheezing at night or feeling out of breath and struggling to keep up with their friends."