All Policies Include Enhanced COVID-19 Cover
Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30
Coronavirus FAQs
Questions about cover for coronavirus? Read our FAQs and find out what our policies can do for you. If you would like to contact us, please note we are currently only available 09:00 to 17:30 Monday to Friday due to reduced operational capacity. Thank you.
23 July 2014 08:07
Under-18s who use corticosteroid asthma inhalers may suffer from reduced growth rate, research shows
Research has shown that asthma inhalers can stunt the growth of children.
A study evaluating more than 8,000 under-18s found that use of the common inhaler reduces growth rates by about half a centimetre during the first year of treatment.
However, doctors have warned it is "vital" that parents continue to allow their children to use the "life-saving" medicine.
And at this time of the year it is also worthwhile for parents to remember to take their children's inhalers on holiday and take out asthma travel insurance which will cover symptoms should the sufferer's condition worsen while away from home.
The study, published by the Cochrane Collection think tank, said with lower doses of the drug, the effect on growth can be minimised, and growth can return to normal after the first few years of therapy.
Lead author Dr Linjie Zhang, from the Federal University of Rio Grande in Brazil, said that reduced growth is "less pronounced in subsequent years, is not cumulative, and seems minor compared to the known benefits of the drugs for controlling asthma and ensuring full lung growth."
Meanwhile, Samantha Walker, director of research and policy at the charity Asthma UK, said the report was good news for asthma sufferers as it showed the side-effects of inhaled corticosteroids were "relatively minor".
"No parent should therefore stop their children taking these lifesaving medicines", she added.
Dr Glenis Scadding, consultant physician in allergy a at the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital in London, said the preventer medication helps cut the death rate from asthma.
With the condition still linked to thousands of deaths each year, she stresses it is vital that parents do not stop giving their children asthma inhaled corticosteroid, with the reported effects on growth being described as a "small price to pay" for to ward off potentially lethal asthma attacks.
04 January 2021
Head north for a light show like no other. Discover how you can see the Northern Lights for yourself.
[more...]
Discover more about the magnificent waterfall perched on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
10 December 2020
Don't sleep on the world's most impressive dormant volcano.
A destination that stands head and shoulders above the rest.
19 November 2020
Take a tour of one of South America's most captivating natural landscapes.
Discover the hidden depths of the world's most recognisable desert gorge.
It's the question on everyone's mind right now - unfortunately, there's still no easy answer...
Discover why planes are more hygienic than you might think.
Dive into Queensland's colourful coral.
02 November 2020
With the global travel industry slowly getting back on its feet, it's a great time for holiday bargain hunters. Here are our top tips for 2021.
Is it possible to fly green? Discover five ways to fly more eco-friendly and reduce the impact of your air travel.
From sustainable architecture to reduced energy consumption, here's how airports around the world are helping to reduce their carbon footprints.