Mum able to breathe more easily

IMPROVEMENT: Jasmin Mathers is happy her daughter Kyra-Jayde Mathers-Epiha, 7, is healthy since changing her asthma medicine. PHOTO/JOHN STONE

Jasmin Mathers used to lose sleep listening to her daughter struggle to breathe.

Whangarei mum Ms Mathers first realised her now 7-year-old daughter, Kyra-Jayde Mathers-Epiha, suffered from severe asthma when she was 18 months old.

This week is Asthma Awareness Week, a condition that affects more than 600,000 Kiwis.

"I don't think you can even describe the feeling when you see your child not being able to breathe," Ms Mathers said.

New Zealand has one of the highest rates of asthma in the world, with the number of hospital admissions doubling in the last 30 years. Kyra-Jayde suffered bouts of severe asthma on and off since diagnosis, including a two-day hospital admission last winter.

A few months ago Ms Mathers chose to get a second opinion on her daughter's condition, which led to a change in medicine which took her off Ventolin and put her on Symbicort.

Since then Kyra-Jayde's condition had improved dramatically to the point where she can keep up with her teammates at hockey.

Ms Mathers' family is just one of many Northland families that struggles with asthma, as the region has a very high rate of respiratory illness. While Krya-Jayde has always lived in a warm and dry home, the asthma of many Northland children increases in severity because of poor insulation in homes.

It is hoped that through the recently announced free GP visits for children under 13 years old, the rate of respiratory illness will decrease as families get help early and prevent complications.