September is often referred to as an asthma peak month, especially for children going back to school, that’s according to the New Brunswick Lung Association.
Spokesperson Barbara Walls says children may notice more symptoms…because of the change in their surroundings, “What happens is children are going back into a different air quality. This is not to say that the schools have bad air quality, but they are in a more confined space and they are surrounded by many other children. Then you head into the cold and flu season. Children have a tendency to have flare-ups, and that can exacerbate their symptoms, especially if you have asthma.”
She says, parents should make sure the teacher is aware that their child has asthma, “Often children don’t have what is called an action plan, which tells the teacher, if my child is suddenly short of breath or a little wheezy, it is okay for them to use their inhaler during class.”
Walls says there are over 11, 000 children under the age of 11 with asthma in the province.
