What is the September Epidemic?
Yes, I am ALWAYS reading...anything and everything. The latest article I read was in Family Circle magazine's September issue. It's called "The September Epidemic." The website version is called "Everything You Need to Know About Asthma"
In the article, Dr. Stanley Szefler, director of the Pediatric Asthma Research Program at the Aurora's Children's Hospital Colorado said that: "More schoolkids are admitted to the hospital for asthma attacks in September than in any other month."
Dr. Szefler says that it is known as the September Epidemic. There are a few reasons they mention:
- It could be because kids head back to school and share germs with all the other kids in school.
- It could also be because kids go on vacation during the summer, not just from school, but from using their maintenance medications. They are not in a school routine, so they forget about it. Or maybe Mom thinks she can keep an eye on the kids during the summer, so they don't need to take their maintenance medication. (Bad idea!!!!!! You should NEVER stop taking your asthma medicine without your doctor telling you to. We have made that mistake before and Son #2 ended up in the hospital because of it.) Sigh.The things you learn over the years about asthma....
- It could also be due to fall allergies. The article says that, "Up to 80% of children with asthma also have allergies, with fall being especially problematic." They say that "When breathing is constricted due to allergy congestion, the likelihood of asthma flare ups increases."
The article also talks about viral infections, the flu and obesity causing problems with asthma.
There's always so MUCH to worry about as a parent, if any of these things seem to be a problem for your child, call your doctor. He/she is there to help!
Good luck with sending kids back to school and managing asthma :)
Isn't it connected with ragweed? If I think well (please correct me, if not), ragweed can make real damage in lungs and it is common plant in the US (I felt this "nice" plant on myself in Southern Europe, where ragweed is omnipresent). It also can make children weak.
ReplyDeleteMy pulmonologist said that the best way to avoid a lot of infections is cleaning hands after coming back to home and healthy diet...
Greetings from still sunny Poland.
Yes, ragweed is a problem in the fall here too. We are all sneezing and wheezing.
DeleteI like your pulmonolgist's suggestions. Our asthma doc also suggests we shower before bed to remove the pollen from our skin and hair.
It seems to help. As does sleeping with the windows closed to keep the pollen out.
My son and I had asthma and as it turned out our problems were a result of being sick before the diagnosis. We were then treated using Dr. David Hahn's protocol and haven't been on asthma medication since that time and that was over ten years ago. Family members can get the bacteria from one another so it's not unusual to find several with 'asthma'.
ReplyDeleteYou might want to read his book and talk to your doctor. It's on Amazon. The protocol is benign and a lot of people have been cured using it. I found out about it when I stumbled on the asthmastory.com website. They have information there too. Nobody is selling anything there, as I first thought when I found the website. (sorry I get suspicious about scammers on the internet who sell miracle products that can cure everything from a hangnail to cancer. Right!) He's like you and just trying to help people.
Good luck, I know how miserable it is to see your kids suffer!
Thanks Maureen, I'm glad you found something to help your family! :)
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