Wellbeing for parents and carers

There is a lot of information to take in when you’re caring for a child with asthma. It’s okay to feel confused or overwhelmed.

We are here to help you. Our health advice breaks down the information you need to know so that it’s easy to understand. You can also ask your child’s GP or asthma nurse if you’re unsure about anything.

We know from calls to our helpline that a lot of parents feel worried about their child’s asthma. 

Making sure that you are managing your child’s asthma well might make you feel more confident because it helps your child stay healthy with their asthma. 

If you feel like you’re not getting the support you need from the people in your child’s life, you could:

• Share your child’s asthma action plan with other people, like grandparents, sports coaches, and their friends’ parents or carers. An asthma action plan could help other people understand your child’s asthma. It has everything they need to know including information about your child’s medicines, asthma triggers, and what to do in an emergency.
• Learn how to get the most out of your child’s asthma review. Our information could help you talk to your child’s GP or asthma nurse and find out what questions to ask. 
• Help your child’s teachers or carers understand what support your child needs at school or nursery. We have advice about talking to your child’s school, back-to-school asthma attacks and emergency inhalers.
• Be prepared in case you have to leave your child in somebody else’s care. Our tips could help you feel more confident about sending your child to sleepovers, on school trips, or with childminders. 

We know that sometimes parents and carers might feel like it’s their fault that their child has asthma, but there is no need to feel guilty. Asthma is a common condition that affects 1 in 11 children. There are a lot of reasons why your child could have asthma.

Whatever you’re feeling, there is help and support available. You are not alone.

It might help to make a list of everyone who can offer practical help in your everyday life. For example, could someone look after your other children when you take your child for their asthma review?

It’s also a good idea to think about who can support you emotionally. Is there anybody you can text, call, or meet if you’re feeling worried or upset?

Most people feel stressed from time to time. It’s okay to feel worried about your child, but if it’s affecting your everyday life, you might need some extra help. 

If you feel stressed, try to:

• make time for yourself and take breaks when you need to
• talk to your employer. You’re entitled to a reasonable amount of time off work to care for your children
• read our mental health and wellbeing advice.

Action for Children also have a range of resources to support parents and carers, including parent coaches that you can chat to Monday to Friday. 

Try to be open with your partner and talk to each other about how you feel. If you feel like your child’s asthma is putting a strain on your relationship, you might benefit from some counselling through a charity like Relate.

If you’re a single parent, the charity Gingerbread has more information and advice that could help.  

Having a child with asthma can affect the whole family, including siblings. If you have other children, make sure that they know you’re there for them too. It’s important that your other children know that you have time for them too.