Dr Dermot Ryan, a GP in Leicestershire who also serves on the committee of the General Practice Airways Group, said that in parts of the country parents could claim disability allowance for children with asthma.
"For some parents, not treating their children gives them secondary gain," he said.
Ryan said the practice was common in Northern Ireland and Liverpool, adding: "In Belfast, some people get cars if their child has asthma."
He disagrees with parents being allowed to claim benefits. He said: "I think asthma is a common enough disease of childhood that people shouldn't be given disability allowance. If a child is labelled as disabled, it will act disabled."
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