Canberra pharmacist Bev Mistry-Cable thought that her six-year-old daughter had come down with a common winter cold – but she needed to be hospitalised for severe asthma.

“Diya became very quiet, and I thought she just had a fever with a common cold, so I gave her some Panadol,” Ms Mistry-Cable remembered. “However, that night, she developed a chest wheeze, so I took her to the GP first thing the next morning – and found out she was having a full-blown asthma attack. She ended up in hospital for a few days, and received treatment for severe asthma to get control of her symptoms.”

Ms Mistry-Cable – who works at Cooleman Court Pharmacy in Weston, and was named ACT Community Pharmacist of the Year for 2026 – said the experience showed her how easily the signs of an asthma attack can be missed, even by a health professional.

“What I didn’t realise at the time was that Diya knew talking was making her cough, so she just became very quiet. Even as a pharmacist, I missed the signs. It just shows how easy it is to miss the signs of an asthma attack, particularly with children.

“Silence can be a symptom, and I want every parent to know that. Don’t wait for the classic wheeze. If your child seems unusually still, withdrawn when unwell, please get them checked.

“I want to encourage all parents to be very watchful, and always check with a doctor if you think there might be something wrong.”

Her husband Chris also has asthma: he developed a constant cough that would not go away, and was eventually diagnosed with severe eosinophilic asthma, a form of asthma associated with high levels of inflammatory white blood cells.

“What started as a persistent cough became completely debilitating,” Ms Mistry-Cable said. “It took time, persistence, trial of many different medications, and even stints in hospital before he was able to gain access to the right treatment.

“Asthma is a serious, chronic inflammatory lung condition, not something to push through and manage alone,” Ms Mistry-Cable said.

“Stay vigilant if you or a member of your family is experiencing symptoms such as wheezing, cough, or shortness of breath. There are more treatment options available than before – including newer targeted therapies for those that have severe asthma. It is important to discuss your symptoms and management with your specialist.”

Ms Mistry-Cable’s warning comes ahead of National Asthma Week, which runs from 1 to 7 September. The National Asthma Council is urging Australians to treat the causes of asthma, rather than simply relieving symptoms.

Asthma is caused by swelling and tightening of the airways, making it harder to breathe, Dr Brett Montgomery, chair of the National Asthma Council Australia Guidelines Committee, explained.

“Asthma is a disease of ‘inflammation’, which means fluid, allergy blood cells, and tiny tight airway muscles are making our airways narrower.

“If you’ve seen your skin puff up from a mosquito bite, or felt your nose get blocked up due to hay fever, then you’ve experienced what inflammation can do.

“In asthma, that’s happening in our lungs – and it’s both common and undertreated.

“As we head into peak pollen season in Australia, now is the ideal time to focus on treating the inflammation, not just the symptoms.”

No adult or adolescent should manage their asthma solely with a blue puffer, the council’s Australian Asthma Handbook states.

Dr Montgomery said that using a blue puffer more than two days a week on average could be a sign that someone is not controlling their asthma well.

“A blue puffer contains a medicine that relieves symptoms by relaxing airway muscles, and helps treat asthma attacks that have already started – but it doesn’t treat the underlying inflammation that causes asthma,” Dr Montgomery said.

“It does not prevent symptoms or attacks – so relying only on a blue puffer, or needing it often, means you are at risk of severe asthma attacks.”

People with mild asthma should use an anti-inflammatory reliever. Dr Montgomery said it helps treat the underlying inflammation while relieving symptoms.

“This way, each dose not only relaxes airway muscles, but also reduces swelling, and lowers the risk of serious attacks,” Dr Montgomery said. “Avoiding asthma attacks means people can avoid steroid tablet side-effects; stay out of hospital; and live more of their lives as they wish to.

“For many people, changing to a new anti-inflammatory reliever will be a simple way to achieve better asthma control. Speaking to your GP is a good first step.”

Diya – now aged nine – uses an anti-inflammatory reliever with a spacer, her mother said.

“She still gets the occasional flare-up after a cold or virus, or exercise, but she knows to speak up, and is also confident managing her asthma,” Ms Mistry-Cable said. “That confidence has made all the difference.”