Five year old Lottie Kline on immunotherapy for asthma condition

Geelong’s asthma cluster is impacting kids in the area more than other regions – and one five-year-old has it particularly tough.

Five-year-old Lottie Kline, who gets needles every fortnight to alleviate her asthma condition, with her mum Millie Durst. Picture: Alan Barber

A recent study has identified the Geelong region as a major asthma cluster – and young children in the area are being disproportionately affected.

Five-year-old Lottie Kline is one of those kids – and her extreme condition means she suffers significantly.

Put on a preventer before her first birthday, she is now receiving immunotherapy after years of hospital visits.

The treatment, which includes fortnightly injections, costs upward of $20,000 a month and is covered by Barwon Health.

Millie Durst, Lottie’s mum, said nurses had “never heard” of someone of her daughter’s age on such an intense medical plan.

Lottie was hospitalised as recently as March despite her ongoing treatment. Picture: Millie Durst

“She has significant medical trauma … and was maxed out on preventive medicine before this,” Ms Durst said.

“We haven’t seen a huge decrease in the symptoms.”

Research conducted by the University of New South Wales revealed children in Geelong, the Bellarine, and the Surf Coast were more likely to have asthma than in other areas of Australia.

All of the region’s 24 suburbs and towns observed in the study had a higher concentration of asthma prevalence among kids compared to the national average of 6.27 per cent.

The top areas were Newcomb and Moolap (10.1 per cent), Bannockburn (8.9 per cent), and Norlane (8.8 per cent).

Lara, Clifton Springs, Corio/Lovely Banks, and North Geelong/Bell Park all scored above eight per cent.

Asthma Australia chief executive Kate Miranda said this put “demand and cost” on the local health system.

Lottie battles a severe case of asthma which she requires immunotherapy for. Picture: Millie Durst

Ms Durst said some could be “dismissive” of the seriousness of Lottie’s condition.

“Quite often people will be like ‘it’s just asthma’ and think it’s something we can manage,” she said.

“I took her home from school orientation last year and … within 45 minutes she was being resuscitated in an ambulance.”

Awareness in the community will help kids like Lottie in the event they ever have an asthma attack.

“It’s important that everyone is up to asthma first aid and we’ve come a long way with that but I do worry about her going out when she’s independent,” said Ms Durst.

However, there is hope for Lottie.

Her brother also suffered from heavy asthma at a young age, albeit not as severely as her, but is fit and healthy now.

“Once we got him a preventer and he said while at school ‘I can actually run now’ with the help of the medicine,” Ms Durst said.

“His is well managed so I hope to get to that point with Lottie.”

Originally published as Five year old Lottie Kline on immunotherapy for asthma condition