Colourful inhaler cases could boost child use

The customised inhalers are all handmade in Mr Hogge's kitchen in York

An entrepreneur's colourful inhaler covers are set to feature in an NHS study aimed at increasing usage of the devices among children.

Will Hogge, from York, designed his first case for a friend whose daughter, Martha, needed an inhaler after an asthma attack left her in a coma.

An asthmatic himself, he said the covers were aimed at making inhalers appear less "medical and awkward".

Martha, six, said her old inhaler had been "really boring".

Martha is much more happy using her unicorn inhaler than her previous one

Martha's father, Nick, said when his daughter came home from hospital after the attack she had been reluctant to use the inhaler.

"Before we got the funky inhalers, there was a bit of resistance and it wasn't fun and we'd have to chase her around the house with it, as it was necessary but boring," he said.

However, he said Mr Hogge's case meant "all inhalers in our house are cool now".

Mr Hogge, who appeared with his invention on Dragons' Den earlier this year, said: "I was only going to make one [for Martha] but then I saw one in five children have asthma and I thought, 'okay this is such an opportunity to help people here'.

"Now my house is full of these machines and gizmos and I'm doing it full time now."

He said he had sold 20,000 already, making each by hand with the help of his wife, Harriet.

The NHS is now planning a study to find out if the cases could improve inhaler usage with other young people.

Will Hogge has sold 20,000 inhalers so far

Around 5.4 million people have asthma in the UK, which works out to one in every 12 adults and one in every 11 children, according to the Asthma and Lung UK charity.

Dr Andy Brookes, Paediatric consultant at York Hospital, said four people a day die of asthma and that the UK has one of the highest death rates because of asthma.

"So far we're seeing really good positive feedback on the inhaler covers from the families and it will be really interesting to see the results of this study," he said.