“The September Asthma Peak” — it’s a catch-phrase for the trend that sends more people, especially children, to emergency rooms for asthma in the month of September than other times of the year.
What causes it? Likely a perfect storm of asthma triggers, including high levels of ragweed and mold allergens, easy-to-catch cold germs and viruses in crowded school classrooms, an increase in exercise-induced asthma due to sports and physical education classes, and chalk, fragrances and other respiratory irritants. Another factor is irregular medication use: Many children with asthma feel better during warm summer months, leading to irregular use of their asthma medications.
When allergens and triggers increase in September, they are more at risk for asthma flares.
[See: 8 Surprising Facts About Asthma and Seasonal Allergies.]
Your best tool for protecting yourself or your children from the epidemic is to follow an Asthma Action Plan. This is a written document, drawn up by you and your health care professional, that details exactly what to do to prevent and treat your asthma. Since each person’s pattern of asthma is different, it should be a personalized approach — and it’s a living document that changes as your disease improves or worsens.
It should spell out how to treat your asthma daily, what to do when symptoms appear or get worse, and how to handle situations such as exercise or when you have a cold or virus.
If you don’t have an Asthma Action Plan, make an appointment with your doctor to ask for one as soon as possible. If you do have one, make an appointment to review your plan.
National Institutes of Health and other professionally developed Asthma Action Plans divide the plan into three color-coded zones:
— Green for when you’re feeling well, with no symptoms;
— Yellow for when you are experiencing manageable symptoms; and
— Red for when you need immediate assistance from the doctor or hospital.
Your child should have a copy of the Asthma Action Plan at home, school and everywhere he or she goes regularly (including day care, after-school care or a grandparent’s house).
[See: 7 Lifestyle Tips to Manage Your Asthma.]
What’s in an Asthma Action Plan?
Effective asthma management involves prevention and early treatment. Your Asthma Action Plan will tell you what medicines to use daily to keep allergies at bay and lung inflammation down, what triggers to avoid as much as possible and what to do when symptoms arise. The earlier you treat your cough or wheezing, the less likely it is to flare and need emergency treatment.
As you are developing your plan, go over every detail with your health care team until you feel comfortable with it. Ask questions. Review it at every doctor’s appointment. Talk about what’s working and what could be improved. Understand:
1. What medicines you should take:
— What each is called
— Why you need it
— How much to take and when
— How to use the inhaler or nebulizer device
— How soon to expect results
— Potential side effects
2. What allergens and irritants set off your asthma symptoms and how you can avoid them:
— Are you allergic to pollen? Animals? Food? (Yes, food allergy can affect asthma!) Don’t waste energy by guessing: An allergist can perform testing to find out for sure.
— Does exercise leave you breathless? Pre-medication and warm-up cool-down exercises might help.
— Do colds and viruses cause asthma to flare? Be prepared: Don’t let them take you by surprise.
3. How to monitor your asthma by tracking symptoms or peak flow readings:
— A daily diary system works for many, whether computer, phone app or paper notebook.
— Peak flow monitors are small, handheld devices that can alert you to brewing lung problems, sometimes before you can feel it yourself.
4. How to recognize and handle worsening asthma:
— What signs to watch for
— How to adjust medicine in response
— When to seek emergency care from your doctor or emergency room
— What numbers to call in an emergency
Finally, a plan is no good unless you follow it. Asthma is a chronic disease, often with long periods of quiet that are interrupted by noisy, breath-stealing episodes. Your Asthma Action Plan can help you stay in the green zone as much as possible — even in September.
[See: How to Survive Ragweed Allergy Season.]
Purvi Parikh, MD, is an allergist and immunologist with Allergy & Asthma Network, the leading nonprofit patient education organization for people with allergies, asthma and related conditions. She practices in New York City at Allergy and Asthma Associates of Murray Hill and New York University School of Medicine. She sits on the Board of Directors for the advocacy council of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI).
More from U.S. News
7 Lifestyle Tips to Manage Your Asthma
8 Surprising Facts About Asthma and Seasonal Allergies
How to Survive Ragweed Allergy Season
How an Asthma Action Plan Can Protect You From the September Asthma Peak originally appeared on usnews.com
