According to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood, South Africa is ranked 25th for asthma prevalence and ranked 5th for asthma mortality with an estimated 18.5 deaths per 100 000 asthma cases. For many children who have breathing difficulties in South Africa, a tracheostomy – a surgically created hole (stoma) in the windpipe (trachea) which provides an alternative airway for breathing – is the solution. However, the reality is that children living with tracheostomies are not afforded the life of every other child. Schooling for one, is a challenge, as many teachers are not equipped to attend to them, ultimately preventing them from accessing education which plays into the rest of their lives. But what is not widely known is that the tracheostomy is not a life sentence, it can be removed once the breathing issue is resolved through a process called decannulation. Dr Felicia Tshite joins us Dr Felicia Tshite, Paediatric Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon