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Managing Your
Child’s Asthma During the Fall Months
During the fall, ragweed pollen counts can go sky
high. What is pollen? Pollen is made up of tiny,
egg-shaped granules that come from certain flowering
plants, such as trees, grasses, and weeds, and it
can cause—or at least worsen—asthma symptoms. In the
fall, ragweed and other weed pollens are the biggest
culprits when it comes to triggering breathing
problems. These plants tend to have small, light,
and dry pollens that are easily spread to other
areas by wind currents. Outdoor molds can also
trigger breathing problems at this time of year.
Here are some tips for reducing contact with weed
pollens and molds.
• Keep your child indoors as much as possible on
hot, breezy days when pollen counts may be at
their highest. Keep car and house windows
closed. Turn on the air conditioning if you need
it to keep cool.
• Don’t hang clothing outside to dry. Pollen
granules can collect on the clothing and trigger
symptoms when brought inside.
• Don’t let your child play in, rake, or walk
through fall leaves. Mold spores often collect
in fallen leaves.
If your child’s breathing problems worsen with fall
seasonal triggers, it is essential that you make
sure he or she keeps taking his or her
preventive/controller medicine. However, if symptoms
do worsen—even with the controller medicine—don’t
hesitate to use your child’s quick-relief (rescue)
medicine.
If your child isn’t on a controller medicine right
now, then this is a good time to ask your child’s
doctor whether this type of treatment might be right
for him or her.
An Asthma Action Plan is a great way to plan ahead
for the possibility of worsening symptoms. It will
help you know how and when to take action to help
keep your child healthy throughout this time of
year. It will also help you know when to call the
doctor.
Remember… it’s up to you to take action now to help
protect your child from having breathing problems
during the fall months.
For more information, please visit the
EverydayKidz.com Web site at
www.everydaykidz.com .
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