Asthma is a common disease which causes swelling in the airways, making it difficult to breathe. Asthma is common in children, affecting 1 in 11 children in the UK. Asthma is treated with inhalers which reduce the swelling. If inhalers are taken correctly they can help keep symptoms under control, allowing asthma sufferers to go about their day with less chance of having an asthma attack. Many patients have been found to not take their inhalers correctly and either under use (which leads to poor control of symptoms) or over use (which leads to potential side effects). Although asthma in most patients can be controlled with inhalers, not using inhalers correctly is one of the most common causes of poor control. This is common in children and young people (CYP) with all severities of asthma, resulting in high burden on the families and healthcare systems. The biggest challenge facing doctors and nurses helping CYP with asthma is finding a way to ensure that they take the medication. Whilst there are many studies looking into inhaler use, there are no large studies about how inhalers are used between clinic visits in CYP with asthma. The Smart Spacer is monitoring device which allows doctors to monitor when and how effectively inhalers are being used. This study wants to find out how well this device works, how well and how often CYP are using their inhalers, and if tailored education improves asthma control. To do this, participants in the study will be randomly selected to have "tailored education" or "standard care education". The investigators are inviting 100 children and young people (CYP) aged 6-18 years who have asthma to join this study.
Age range
6 Years – 18 Years
Sex
ALL
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AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
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Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
Overall adherence to inhaled treatment (the product of persistence (number of doses taken as prescribed) and technique)
Timeframe: From recruitment up until 12-16 weeks follow-up time point