New treatment gives six-year-old Amelia‑Rose greater freedom

After being switched to a combination inhaler in 2024, six-year-old Amelia‑Rose has had no asthma attacks or hospital admissions for more than a year; researchers point to trials showing combination inhalers reduce attacks in children and a UK study will recruit about 1,350 children to test doses and use.

Amelia‑Rose developed severe asthma in infancy and was frequently admitted to hospital and treated with high‑dose steroid tablets. In 2024 she was switched to a combination inhaler and has not had an asthma attack or hospital admission for over a year. Combination inhalers pair a steroid with a longer‑acting bronchodilator and are used as maintenance and reliever therapy (MART). Recent trials and existing adult evidence have shown fewer attacks with combined inhalers, and a UK study led by Imperial College London will test different doses and reliever use in children aged six to 11. Key facts: - Amelia‑Rose, aged six, experienced frequent hospital admissions from infancy but has gone more than a year without an attack or admission after switching to a combination inhaler in 2024. - Combination inhalers contain a steroid plus a long‑acting bronchodilator such as formoterol and can be used for maintenance and as a reliever (MART). - A New Zealand trial published in The Lancet found a combination inhaler reduced asthma attacks by about 45% in children aged five to 15, with no significant difference in growth or lung function reported. - Around two million children in the UK have asthma and up to 5% are estimated to have severe asthma; more than 16,000 children aged 15 and under were admitted to hospital for asthma in England in 2024–25, according to the article. - A new UK study led by Imperial College London aims to recruit about 1,350 children aged six to 11 to examine the safety and effectiveness of different doses and patterns of combination inhaler use over one year. Summary: The switch to a combination inhaler has allowed Amelia‑Rose to avoid attacks and hospital stays for more than a year and improved her school attendance and activity levels. Researchers note clinical trials, including the New Zealand study, have shown fewer attacks with combined inhalers, and the planned UK trial will test doses and reliever strategies in 6–11‑year‑olds to inform clinical practice.