Asthma - should it be a concern in EOI or the medical requirements for ITA?

[GinoEnriquez]

My wife and son both have asthma. Although the attacks are seasonal, should i

1. Declare it in the EOI under "any condition that is likely to require ongoing treatment or medication?"
2. Be worried about it being grounds for rejection under the NZ medical requirement?

Many thanks!

Gino

[JandM]

Yes, and probably no.

The medicals are intended to check that each person admitted is not likely, because of an existing condition, to cost the NZ Health Service more than $25,000. This is not a problem for fairly common conditions under control with routine medication. The doctor during the medicals will almost certainly ask what medication they use, and when, and you can help their situation by getting your regular doctor to do a letter that you send in with your medicals to describe their case, e.g. that they can get attacks during two months (or whatever length of time) of the year, but that treatment with (whatever number) of (whatever tablet or inhaler) during that time enables them to cope. The cases may not even be referred.

(Of course, they may not get the same pattern in NZ - the pollens etc. may be different from the ones that set them off where you are now.)

[GinoEnriquez]

I assume yes to number 1 and no to number 2?

Thanks for the reply JandM! Im just beginning to scratch the surface of our journey to NZ!

[JandM]

I assume yes to number 1 and no to number 2?

Yes, indeed.