Atlanta

Doctors say early fall is peak asthma season

ATLANTA — This time of the year is statistically the peak for child asthma emergency room visits.

September weather changes bring fall allergies like ragweed and mold. Add that to school crowds, and for children with asthma, the season’s sniffles and coughs can be serious.

Channel 2′s Linda Stouffer spoke to a local doctor and looked at why this is the case and how to look out for your children during these months.

“Going back to school, they tend to catch infections, viral infections from classmates, and that’s another major trigger of asthma besides having allergies,” Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Doctor Stanley Fineman said.

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Fineman said another reason for the September and October asthma spike is that during the summer, allergy sufferers get off track with medications.

Fineman suggests patients come in for testing to pinpoint allergies for treatment because not every cough is asthma.

“Coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath is the classic asthma type diagnosis,” Fineman said.

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The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says controlling asthma reduces emergencies, so avoid triggers and make sure you’re up to date on inhalers and allergy medications.

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