Asthmatics 'marginalised in society'

A quarter of a million people with severe asthma face discrimination because the public believes it is a mild condition, a report has claimed.

Some 20 per cent of the UK's asthmatics have a severe form of the disease, and many are unable to work, face frequent trips to hospital and cannot carry out everyday tasks.

Some people are on 20 to 40 different medications a day, while others need to use a nebuliser - a machine which delivers treatment through a face mask - every four hours.

The report, from Asthma UK and the Severe Asthma National Network, calls for a better understanding of the disease as well as clearer access to the benefits system. It also calls on teachers to be aware of the impact on young children who have severe asthma.

Asthma affects more than five million people in the UK, including around 250,000 with the worst symptoms. These include extreme difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing and tightness in the chest.

Some 1,200 people die from asthma every year.