Getting Your Child Ready for Fall

When summer comes to an end, it's time to think about getting ready for school, fall allergies and cooler weather. This is also a time when people with asthma may notice a change in their condition.

Being prepared for these changes can make a big difference in keeping your or your child's asthma well controlled.
 

 Preparing for the New School Year

• It is important for your child and the school staff to be prepared for managing asthma at school. The school staff should have information on how to help prevent symptoms and what to do if your child has symptoms.
• Ask your doctor for a written asthma action plan for the school. This plan should include what medicine to use to treat asthma symptoms and changes in peak flow zones, along with what medicine to use as a pretreatment before exercise. Also include information on what makes your child's asthma worse, in addition to his or her asthma symptoms and emergency telephone numbers.

Plan a meeting with school staff before or in the beginning weeks of the school year. Your child also can be involved in the meeting. Take the written asthma action plan to the meeting. Helpful school staff members to have at the meeting are the school nurse, health aide, teacher and physical education teacher. Topics to discuss at the meeting include:

• What makes asthma worse, especially in the school setting
• Asthma symptoms, including your child's awareness of symptoms
• Peak flow meter use, including technique and the use of peak flow zones
• Use of quick-relief medicine at school, including correct technique. If your child uses a metered-dose inhaler, a spacer is recommended.
• Who to call if the quick-relief medicine is not improving asthma symptoms or peak flow zones. The written asthma action plan will outline these steps.
• Discuss whether your child is responsible enough to keep the quick-relief medicine with him or her. If not, the quick-relief medicine should be quickly accessible when asthma symptoms occur at school.
• Continue talking with your child and school staff about managing asthma at school on a regular basis, even if everything is fine at school.
• Talk with your child's doctor about when to keep him/her home from school due to the worsening of asthma or illness. Mild asthma symptoms can often be handled at school. When deciding whether to keep your child at home, consider the following:
  1. What is causing asthma symptoms?
  2. How stable are asthma symptoms and peak flows?
  3. Is a fever present?
  4. How much medicine is your child taking?
• Talk with the school staff if your child misses school and homework.

Tips for Fall Allergies

• Weeds and molds often can cause fall allergies for your child. Some seasons produce more pollen from weeds or mold spores because of weather conditions. One of the primary weeds responsible for allergy symptoms is ragweed. A lot of rain in the spring and early summer, followed by sunny, hot days, tends to produce more ragweed. Rainy days and piles of wet leaves lead to more mold growth. If weed pollens or molds cause your allergy symptoms, there are some steps you can take.
• Plan your child’s outdoor activities for early in the day, as weed pollens are highest around midday. If you are outdoors during high pollen counts, take a shower, wash your hair and change your clothes when you come indoors.
• If possible, keep windows and outside doors shut during pollen season. This is very important when pollen and mold counts are high. These counts are often reported on the TV news and in the newspaper.
• Make sure your child stays away from wet leaves and garden trash.
• Take the medicine your doctor recommends. Many different medicines are available to help control allergy symptoms when you can't avoid the things to which you are allergic. Keep in mind that allergy medicines work best when you take them every day, and it is best to start taking them before you are exposed to high levels of pollen or mold. Your allergist may recommend nasal saline rinses and a nasal steroid or an antihistamine when the allergy season begins and to continue taking it every day until allergy season is over. When allergy season is in full swing and your immune system is in high gear, medicines are less effective and take longer to relieve symptoms. Some over-the-counter antihistamines cause drowsiness. If they cause drowsiness, they may also affect thinking and muscle function. If you take one of these, use caution when operating a motor vehicle or machinery. They also may affect school performance.
• Read more about allergies and asthma.
• Finally, it's almost time for the yearly flu shot, so start watching for locations and times when flu shots will be given.

Tips for Fall Weather

• Fall is a season when a lot of weather changes can occur. Be prepared for changes in temperature and rainy days by having a sweater, jacket or rain gear with you. With cooler weather approaching, this is also a good time to have your furnace checked and the filters replaced

Fall is a very busy time of year for most people. Keeping your child’s asthma and allergies under control can help you both enjoy this beautiful season!

Read about the Back-to-School Asthma Action Plan.