Stoke-on-Trent mum’s warning after son’s asthma hospital visits: ‘Don’t rely on blue inhalers’

A Stoke-on-Trent mum is encouraging other parents to stick to their child’s asthma treatment plan and not rely on blue inhalers alone, after seeing the difference the right support has made to her son’s health.
 
Victoria Williams, 27, from Stoke-on-Trent, said her six-year-old son Elliot has struggled with his breathing since he was a baby, leading to repeated hospital visits and uncertainty around his condition.
 
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) is supporting families this World Asthma Day 2026 by sharing practical advice to help children manage their asthma more effectively at home.
 
Victoria said: “This has been a years-long battle. We’ve been back and forth to urgent care, A&E and hospital admissions since he was little. It’s been really difficult at times because his asthma can change so quickly.”
 
Elliott was formally diagnosed with asthma after a series of tests and is now supported by UHNM’s Children’s Respiratory Service at Staffordshire Children’s Hospital at Royal Stoke. 
 
With the right treatment in place, Victoria says his condition is now more stable.
 
She said: “He still needs medication morning and night, and we have to stay on top of it, but he’s a lot better now the treatment is right. When we follow the plan properly it really does make a difference.”
 
Victoria is now urging other parents to stay consistent with preventer inhalers and follow their child’s care plan closely.
 
She said: “Stick with the treatment and follow it through, and make sure you’re using the preventer inhaler morning and evening and following the plan exactly. When we haven’t done that, he’s needed his blue inhaler much more. 
 
“And if you’re worried, keep pushing, you know your child best.”
 
UHNM is using World Asthma Day to highlight the importance of preventer inhalers, which help reduce inflammation in the airways and lower the risk of serious asthma attacks.
 
Sadie Clayton, consultant nurse in the Children’s Respiratory Service at UHNM, said: “Blue inhalers are important for quick relief, but they don’t treat the underlying inflammation that causes asthma. If children are relying on them regularly, it is a sign their asthma is not well controlled.
 
“Preventer inhalers, which contain inhaled corticosteroids, should be taken every day as prescribed, even when a child feels well. They reduce swelling in the airways, help prevent flare-ups and significantly lower the risk of severe attacks and hospital admission.
 
“If a child needs their blue inhaler three or more times a week, or if more than two blue inhalers are needed in a year, an asthma review should be arranged. With the right treatment and support, most asthma attacks are preventable.”
 
Victoria also praised the care her son has received at UHNM, particularly the support from the respiratory team.
 
She said: “We wouldn’t be where we are today without them. The care, communication and support have been amazing. They really care about the children and making sure families understand how to manage asthma properly.”
 
Sadie added, “I encourage families to speak to their GP or asthma team if they have any concerns about their child’s symptoms or treatment plan.”