Charity issues plea to parents as holidays end

Hannan Ahmed, 13, who died after a suspected asthma attack at Mirfield Free Grammar. Hannan is a former pupil of Batley Business and Enterprise College in Batley, and lived in Hawthorne Avenue, Staincliffe.

Asthma UK has released figures showing a dramatic surge in children being admitted to hospital following attacks when school begins again.

In England, more children are rushed to hospital with an asthma attack in the third week of September than in any other week of the year.

Deputy chief executive Samantha Walker said: “Normal routines can go out of the window during the summer break, which can effectively create a time bomb for children with asthma.

“Those who forget to take their preventer inhalers over the summer will be less in control of their symptoms and therefore more vulnerable to asthma attacks come term-time.”

The Reporter Series chose Asthma UK as one of its charities for 2013 after the tragic deaths of two local teenagers with asthma last year.

Batley girl Jessica Charlton died after suffering an asthma attack at her father’s home.

Staincliffe schoolboy Hannan Ahmed died after collapsing on his second day at Mirfield Free Grammar.

The charity is running a Back to School campaign in a bid to reduce hospital admissions this September.

It is urging parents to make sure children are taking their preventer inhalers twice daily.

It says those who do will reduce their risk of having a serious asthma attack when exposed to common classroom triggers, such as colds, flu and stress.