"Correct technique of using an inhaler is so important" | Professor Su May Liew, 48

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"I had asthma as a child. I remember wheezing away, my chest going ‘heee, heee’, like I was blowing a whistle. It did not bother me as much as it bothered my parents, who took me to see a paediatrician. I liked going to see the doctor as he kept a bottle of Vitamin C tablet candies on his table and would offer me one if I let him examine me. The doctor told my mother that I had asthma and gave me these blue pills called Ventolin (salbutamol) to take. My mother kept this bottle on a shelf in the kitchen. I remember that whenever I had a wheeze, I would take a chair, climb up to reach the bottle and swallow a pill.

Now, I am myself a specialist and I see children with asthma. It often brings me back to the time when I was a wheezing kid. Being a trained specialist, I have had the privilege of seeing a massive improvement in asthma action plans and treatment options since the early days.

The Global Initiative for Asthma - a guideline for the treatment of asthma - has recommended that inhaled salbutamol be prescribed together with inhaled steroids to prevent asthma attacks. It is way more effective to give them salbutamol by inhaler so that the medication reaches the lungs. This is why the correct technique of using an inhaler is so important. As a doctor, I have to ensure that patients and their family members are educated on how to use their devices to control their symptoms. It is one of the key steps in asthma action plans. Treatment for asthma has changed significantly since I was a child climbing a chair to get my Ventolin tablets. But one thing has not changed. I keep sweet vitamin C tablets on the table for the good kids who come to see me in the clinic! Asthma is a manageable condition, and having a positive outlook, educating and encouraging our patients can make a huge impact!"

Real Life Asthma Stories Booklet

This asthma life story is part of a booklet of stories created for community engagement in Malaysia. Read all the stories in the booklet produced by the University of Malaya and Universiti Putra Malaysia, RESPIRE partner organisations in Malaysia.