During summer break, a lot of kids stay away from things like textbooks, essays and math problems, but another thing they’re staying away from is their asthma medicine, says Dr. Kirstin Carel of National Jewish Health in Denver.
Carel says that a good number of asthmatic children are able to take breaks from their medicine, and many do it during summer vacation, which makes them more susceptible to having a flare up at the beginning of the school year.
“This time of year, it’s a perfect storm to set many kids up for asthma attacks,” says Carel. “You’ve got this triple whammy of conditions, with viruses going around, because the kids have all gone back to school and they’re sharing them. There are allergens feeding into their asthma, and they may not have been as consistent with their medications over the summer as they should have been.”
Carel says that while it may be okay for some kids to stop taking their medication during the summer, the sooner they get back on their routine the better.
“For those who can, it’s nice to have a break from the medications over the summer,” she said. “I always want them to re-start taking medications at least two weeks before going back to school. Fortunately, we have great medications that can help keep their inflammation down as much as possible, but it’s a matter of them having the medicine in their system when it needs to be in their system.”
Obviously, parents should speak to their child’s doctor to see if he or she can take breaks from their medication.
By Daryl Nelson
08/01/2013 |ConsumerAffairs
Allergy & Asthma Associates of Southern California provides relief from allergies, asthma, sinus problems, chronic cough and other related conditions. Dr. William E. Berger, Dr. Warner W. Carr, Dr. Mark S. Sugar, Dr. Simi Kapoor, and Dr. Christina Schwindt together with their staff specialize in allergy and immunology in Southern California.
If you or your child are suffering from asthma or think you may have asthma please Call (949) 364-2900 to schedule your appointment today. You can also use our online Request an Appointment form to schedule a future appointment.
