Chemicals found in fireworks could trigger fatal asthma attacks this Bonfire Night, experts warn

A charity has warned smoke from bonfires and cold air could trigger life-threatening asthma attacks amid an increase in hospital admissions of people struggling to breathe

Children with asthma could be at risk from toxic fumes combined with cold air this Bonfire Night.

That is the warning from the charity Asthma + Lung UK which says smoke and chemicals from bonfires and fireworks can irritate young airways. Fireworks are made using a mix of chemicals and one of their main components is gunpowder. When they are set off they release smoke and different gases.

Experts say some of the two million child asthma sufferers in Britain could experience worsening symptoms this week like wheezing and shortness of breath. Most recent NHS data shows that there were 96,500 admissions to hospital for emergency care for people with breathing issues in November, up 14,000 on the previous month.

Dr Andrew Whittamore, clinical lead at Asthma + Lung UK, said children are particularly vulnerable to Bonfire Night fumes as their airways are smaller and still developing. He said: “They also breathe more rapidly than adults, which again means they may also inhale more of the smoke in the atmosphere.

"Children are normally closer to the ground too, where smoke lingers, or at face level with it, whether they are out walking or in a pram or buggy, so parents should be aware of this if their child has asthma. If they have asthma already, air pollution can make it worse, prompting symptoms such as wheezing, coughing and breathlessness, and potentially leading to a life-threatening asthma attack.”

Polling for the charity found 53% of asthma sufferers said poor air quality made their symptoms worse while 69% said cold air triggered their condition. Temperatures typically tend to begin dropping in November and cold air can cause the airways to narrow, which can increase the amount of mucus produced and make it harder for a child with asthma to breathe.

Erika Radford, Head of Health Advice at Asthma + Lung UK, said: “Bonfire displays and fireworks can be fun for children, but they can also be dangerous if your child has a lung condition like asthma, especially when coupled with other triggers such as cold air. Smoke fumes and chemicals from bonfires and fireworks can linger in the air for several hours if there is no wind to blow the pollution away. This can cause asthma symptoms or a potentially life-threatening asthma attack.

“A drop in temperatures leading to cold air can also make asthma symptoms worse, meaning that next week children with asthma could face a dangerous combination of smoke and cold air.

“If your child has asthma the best thing you can do is ensure they take their preventer inhaler every day as prescribed as this builds up protection in the airways. And always keep their reliever inhaler to hand, so your child can use it to quickly relieve symptoms if they do come on. If the smoke from fireworks, bonfires or cold air have brought on their symptoms before, it may be best to stay indoors and enjoy the display with them from a window.

“However, if you are planning on going to a display, make sure you stand well back from bonfires and fireworks, and check what direction the wind is blowing in so your child can avoid the smoke. If you’re celebrating in cold weather, you can try loosely wrapping a scarf around your child’s nose and mouth to warm up the cold air.”

Click HERE to get tailored advice about how to look after your lung condition over winter.