Kathleen Bowden, LCSW, asthma educator and You Can Control Asthma Now (UCAN) program administrator at CHoR, explains what you can do over the summer to prepare for – and limit – fall asthma flare-ups.
It’s that time of year – summer break is just around the corner! Between having fun with friends and reading plenty of books to avoid the “summer slide,” don’t forget to make sure your child stays on top of their asthma too.
Asthma symptoms tend to diminish during the summer. Kids have fewer colds and viruses that lead to serious asthma flares. Spring pollen has also passed, meaning fewer allergy-related asthma symptoms. This is great news – except it’s easy to be lulled into a false sense of security. It’s essential to continue treating asthma, and prepare for fall.
How to prepare for fall asthma challenges as the school year ends and throughout summer
You’re probably not thinking about next school year quite yet, but a little planning can go a long way toward making August, September and beyond as smooth and stress-free as possible. Here’s how.
- Pick up your child’s asthma medications from the school nurse at the end of the school year. If their rescue medication is not expired or opened, it can be used next school year or at home if needed. You’ll also want to hang onto the spacer to take back to school.
- After this school year ends, call your pediatrician or asthma specialist and request a school asthma action plan for the coming school year. You’ll need this plan, along with an unopened rescue medication and spacer that the school nurse can use for your child if they experience asthma symptoms at school. Don’t wait until the last minute. Doctors’ offices get extremely busy near the start of school, which could cause a delay in getting the paperwork you need.
- Make sure your child stays on their asthma medication as directed by their doctor. It can be tempting to want to use less medication because symptoms are less frequent over the summer, but it’s important to remember that the swelling/inflammation in the lungs of someone with asthma is always there, even when symptoms aren’t. If your child is prescribed a control (daily) inhaler, it’s critical that they stay on this medication even when they’re feeling great.
- Stay active and have fun. The more active kids are, the stronger their bodies become – including their lungs. If asthma is limiting your child’s activity, speak to their pediatrician or asthma specialist. They may need some changes in their medications so they can continue to be active and unlimited by asthma.
Why is preparing for fall important when it comes to asthma?
The third week of September is often referred to as “asthma peak week.” It’s when we see a significant rise in the number of emergency room visits and hospitalizations due to asthma flares. There are multiple reasons for this spike, including:
- Kids have been back in school for a few weeks and exposed to illnesses. Colds and upper respiratory infections spread quickly, and are the number one reason for a serious asthma attack.
- Fall allergies to ragweed and mold increase overall inflammation in the body, including the lungs of those with asthma.
- Some children have taken a break from their asthma medications over the summer, so baseline inflammation/swelling in the lungs is greater. Loss of asthma control leads to less protection from a serious attack when these other asthma triggers are encountered.
Sometimes it’s not just one reason that leads to a severe asthma flare but a combination of causes that occur at the same time. In the fall, lots of the things that can worsen asthma happen all at once. With proactive care and proper planning, asthma doesn’t need to mean trips to the ER or a limit to your child’s activities.