Breath of fresh air for families

SELENA Lovick is a breath of fresh air for dozens of families across Southampton. The 37-year-old is the city's first dedicated child asthma nurse, helping parents to cope with the rollercoaster ride of having children with the chronic condition.

Selena, who previously worked at Southampton General Hospital, visits families in their homes to offer guidance and reassurance, as well as running specialist asthma clinics.

Her role as paediatric asthma nurse is a pilot project launched by Southampton City Primary Care Trust.

Already, Selena's mobile phone number is kept handy by scores of mums and dads, from Millbrook in the west to Sholing in the east, providing a reassuring back-up for any panicky moments.

She deals with any youngster from birth to 16 who has asthma and needs a little extra help or support.

Patients are referred by GPs, practice nurses, school nurses or any other healthcare professional.

Referrals can be made for a number of reasons, including poorly controlled asthma or children not attending clinics.

Selena said: "Having specialist knowledge in childhood asthma enables me to liaise directly with the families, often in their home, and put an asthma care plan in place for them.

"Parents can feel reassured and they like the idea I'm at the end of the phone, can visit them when their child is unwell, or can give them advice if they are unsure of how to use any equipment they have been given."

Selena, who has paediatric asthma qualifications and experience, enjoys working in the community, offering a flexible service to suit her patients.

Aiming to be a friendly, reassuring face, she usually wears casual clothing rather than her nurse's uniform for home visits.

"It is more relaxing for people. I find sometimes a blue uniform can act as a bit of a barrier," she said.

Selena finds her new role extremely rewarding, seeing how parents learn to cope better with their children's breathing problems - and knowing how far they can leave things until medical help is required.

The system also helps relieve pressure on the accident and emergency department at Southampton General Hospital as well as GP surgeries and walk-in centres.

Every child referred to Selena undergoes a full assessment on the initial home visit, including a listen of their lungs, a chat about the youngster's medical history, details of any allergies, medication and sleep patterns.

Parents are given an asthma plan, with details of what to do when their child suffers an attack.

Selena said much of her work was about building up families' confidence.

Selena can provide help and guidance for the parents of any asthmatic child registered with a GP in Southampton. For details, contact her on 0787 941 4258.

CASE STUDY 1:

MUM Corena Davies thought she was going mad when she kept taking her wheezy baby daughter back to the doctors.

Little Holly, who was five weeks premature, had a chest infection when she was just six weeks old and suffered repeated breathing problems afterwards.

Corena, 27, of Windermere Avenue, Millbrook, said: "I kept going to the doctors and up the hospital but I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere.

"I had bad post-natal depression and just felt like I was going mad.

"It was my health visitor who first mentioned Selena. She has been great. It is really nice to know she is there, especially with a young baby.

"Selena has made me feel really relaxed.

"She listened to me and understood, plus she is really easy going. It has made a big difference."

Corena, also mum to Courtney, nine, who also suffers from asthma and eczema, and son Joshua, five, advised any parent in the same boat to seek help.

Now six months old, Holly's condition is under control with the use of an inhaler.

She will undergo a further hospital check before the winter to see if her dosage needs changing.

CASE STUDY 2:

HAVING two little boys with asthma means twice the worry for young mum Rachel Hale.

The 24-year-old used to panic when her eldest, Owen, now four, had an attack - but now has a reassuring step-by-step guide from Selena to follow.

Rachel, who lives at Millbrook Towers with partner Dean Bampton, 23, and their other son Dylan, nine months, has already had to use the procedure in an emergency.

She said: "One minute Owen was fine, but then he woke up wheezing - and just got worse. He started panicking.

"The whole experience was quite scary but I followed what Selena had told me and managed to calm him down."

Rachel, who was referred to Selena by her health visitor, added: "It is nice to know there is someone you can call.

"I haven't had to get Selena out yet but it is good to know she is there. She has given us lots of useful leaflets and stuff."

Both Owen, who was in intensive care for a week after he was born, and Dylan have suffered from repeated chest infections.

Now both youngsters have their conditions under control with the help of inhalers.

ASTHMA FACTFILE:

Asthma is a long-term condition that affects the airways and breathing.

About one child in eight and one adult in 13 are currently being treated for asthma in the UK.

Asthma can be so mild that it is hardly noticeable or sudden and severe, causing the affected person to panic. Most cases are somewhere in between.

The cause of asthma is not fully understood. It is partly an allergic condition. There is also a genetic connection between asthma, hay fever and eczema, and this suggests that these three conditions can be inherited.

Asthma affects the airways - the small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs.

In someone with asthma, the airways are sensitive and easily become swollen. When they are irritated they narrow, the muscles around them tighten, and there may be an increase in production of sticky mucus or phlegm.

It makes it harder for the person to get enough breath, and causes wheezing, coughing and a strong feeling that the air can't get in or out of the lungs.

More than many disorders, asthma is a "self-help" condition, in which the affected person can do much to prevent attacks. When attacks do happen, they can usually be stopped fairly quickly.

However, asthma is not a trivial condition - about 1,400 people die from it each year in the UK, and many of those deaths are avoidable if people know how to recognise the danger signs.