Showing posts with label asthma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label asthma. Show all posts
Friday, March 24, 2017
Asthma in September
Asthma in September
Asthma sufferers know that when it rains it spores - as fungi and mold get moving through the air. But many dont realize that the most dangerous month for childrens asthma symptoms is dry September.
A study of hospital data in New York City found the spike in admissions in two to three weeks after the return to school. Additional New York studies indicated that cold and dry weather in autumn mostly increased admissions in the school-aged population (<18), while hot and dry weather in the summer caused spikes in asthma admissions across all ages. Doctor visits increase every September in many Northern Hemisphere countries. It happens in the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Israel, Finland, Trinidad, and Canada, where 20% to 25% of all childhood asthma exacerbations requiring hospitalization have occurred in September.
As students return to school, they are exposed to an increased number of indoor allergens, irritants and health risks. The "flu season" is approaching, weed pollen is not over yet, and indoor air is filled with pests, mold,
dust mites, animal dander, chalk
dust, cleaning agents, scented and unscented
personal care products and fumes.
So what can you do to manage asthma at school? Home environment is easier to control, but if you know your triggers, you can develop a plan - like asking teachers that pet animals with fur and feathers are not kept inside classrooms, dry-erase boards or " dustless" chalk are used instead of regular chalk and making sure that kids with asthma have reliable friends that can support them.
A study of hospital data in New York City found the spike in admissions in two to three weeks after the return to school. Additional New York studies indicated that cold and dry weather in autumn mostly increased admissions in the school-aged population (<18), while hot and dry weather in the summer caused spikes in asthma admissions across all ages. Doctor visits increase every September in many Northern Hemisphere countries. It happens in the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Israel, Finland, Trinidad, and Canada, where 20% to 25% of all childhood asthma exacerbations requiring hospitalization have occurred in September.
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| Asthma hospitalizations in children 2-15 years in Canada |
dust mites, animal dander, chalk
dust, cleaning agents, scented and unscented
personal care products and fumes.
So what can you do to manage asthma at school? Home environment is easier to control, but if you know your triggers, you can develop a plan - like asking teachers that pet animals with fur and feathers are not kept inside classrooms, dry-erase boards or " dustless" chalk are used instead of regular chalk and making sure that kids with asthma have reliable friends that can support them.
REFERENCES
Sears MR, & Johnston NW (2007). Understanding the September asthma epidemic. The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology, 120 (3), 526-9 PMID: 17658590
Lin S, Jones R, Liu X, & Hwang SA (2011). Impact of the return to school on childhood asthma burden in New York State. International journal of occupational and environmental health, 17 (1), 9-16 PMID: 21344814
Lee CC, Sheridan SC, & Lin S (2012). Relating weather types to asthma-related hospital admissions in New York State. EcoHealth, 9 (4), 427-39 PMID: 23224756
Choi IS, Lee SS, Myeong E, Lee JW, Kim WJ, Jin J. (2013) Seasonal variation in skin sensitivity to aeroallergens. Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2013 Sep;5(5):301-8. doi: 10.4168/aair.2013.5.5.301.
Bates DV, Baker-Anderson M, Sizto R. (1990) Asthma attack periodicity: a study of hospital emergency visits in Vancouver. Environ Res 1990; 51:51-70.
Weiss KB. Strachan D, Hansell A, Hollowell J, McNiece R, Nichols T, Anderson HR, et al. (1999) Collation and comparison of data on respiratory disease. Report to the Department of Health, August 1999.
Rosas I, McCartney HA, Payne RW, Calderon C, Lacey J, Chapela R, et al. Analysis of the relationships between environmental factors (aeroallergens, air pollution, and weather) and asthma emergency admissions to a hospital in Mexico City. Allergy 1998;53:394-401.
Garty BZ, Kosman E, Ganor E, Berger V, Garty L, Wietzen T, et al. Emergency room visits of asthmatic children, relation to air pollution, weather, and airborne allergens. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 1998; 81:563-70.
Harju T, Keistinen T, Tuuoponen T, Kivela S-L. Seasonal variation in childhood asthma hospitalizations in Finland, 1972-1992. Eur J Pediatr. 1997;156:436-9.
Monteil MA, Juman S, Hassanally R, Williams KP, Pierre L, Rahaman M, et al. Descriptive epidemiology of asthma in Trinidad, West Indies. J Asthma 2000;37:677-84.
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Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Asthma
Asthma
Asthma, according to the World Health Organization, is a chronic disease characterized by recurrent attacks of breathlessness and wheezing. It varies in severity and frequency from person to person.
During an asthma attack, the lining of the bronchial tubes swells, causing the airways to narrow and reducing the flow of air into and out of the lungs.
WHO estimates that 235 million people currently suffer from asthma.
The causes of asthma are not completely understood. However, risk factors for developing asthma include inhaling asthma “triggers.”
According to Dr. Don Powell’s book 365 Health Hints, some of asthma triggers are:
- Breathing an allergen such as pollen, mold, animal dander, or particles of dust or smoke
- Eating certain foods or taking certain drugs
- Emotional distress
- Exercising too hard
- Having bronchitis or an upper respiratory tract infection
Asthma cannot be cured, but appropriate management can control the disorder and enable people to enjoy a good quality of life. Below are some of the things that asthmatics can do to help themselves, continues Dr. Powell:
- Drink plenty of liquids (2 to 3 quarts a day) to keep secretions loose.
- Figure out what triggers your asthma, and eliminate allergens or irritants at home and at work.
- Keep your bedroom allergen-free.
- Sleep with a synthetic pillow, not a feather one.
- Don’t smoke, and avoid exposure to air pollutants.
- Wear a scarf around your mouth and nose when walking or exercising in cold air to warm the air before it can reach sensitive airways.
- Discontinue vigorous exercise immediately if you start to wheeze.
- Avoid foods and medications that contain sulfites, used as preservatives and found chiefly in shellfish and wine. (Sulfites may trigger asthma attacks in as many as 10 percent of asthmatics.)
- Sit up during an asthma attack; don’t lie down.
- Always keep your asthma medication close by to abort an attack as early as possible.
- Be cautious about using aspirin – some asthmatics are allergic to it.
Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com
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