Is your child asthmatic and the start of the school year is approaching? The increase in seizures after returning to class is not an impression. Every year, emergency room visits for asthma increase among those under 15 years old.with a peak expected around two weeks after the recovery.
The main reason is the return to the community, which restarts the circulation of respiratory viruses.
Returning to class revives the viruses that trigger seizures
In France, Public Health France monitors this phenomenon based on visits to the emergency room and SOS Médecins procedures. Last year, the agency observed, in the second week of school,
a 135% increase in emergency room visits for asthma among those under 15 years old compared to the previous week. And +111% at SOS Médecins.
This peak does not mean that school “gives” asthma. Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the bronchi; in a child already affected, a respiratory infection can lead to an exacerbation.
Public Health France mainly attributes the increase in the start of the school year to
the resumption of the circulation of respiratory viruses after the summer vacation.
This mechanism is consistent with the work of Darlene Bhavnani, infectious disease epidemiologist. In a study conducted in four Texan cities among children aged 5 to 17, his team observed an increase in visits to the emergency room for asthma after returning to school. She emphasizes the close link with common respiratory viruses, which spread more easily when children are in groups.
Other factors may be added depending on the children:
- Allergens present in the premises;
- Irritants, pollution, tobacco smoke;
- Or even back-to-school stress.
Public Health France also mentions the hypothesis of a
basic treatment interrupted during the holidayswhich can make asthma less well controlled when returning to class. To better identify the symptoms, you can consult the signs of an asthma attack in children.
Prepare for the start of the school year to better manage the crisis
The point to check above all concerns the usual monitoring of the child. When a basic treatment has been prescribed, it is not an “on-demand” treatment. It aims to control inflammation of the bronchi and prevent severe attacks. Health Insurance reminds that it should not be interrupted without medical advice. If a break took place during the summer, the right reflex is to contact the doctor again to build on the planned plan. And not to modify the treatment alone.
Back to school is also the time to check what’s going on at school. For a child with a chronic illness such as asthma, an individualized care plan for health reasons can organize adaptations, available medications and what to do in the event of an emergency.
Before or at the very beginning of the recovery, a few checks are useful:
- Confirm that the prescription and action plan are up to date with the doctor;
- Check that the inhaler or kit provided for school is available and not expired;
- Inform the relevant adults of what to do if respiratory difficulty appears;
- Limit, when possible, the child’s known exposures: smoke, mold, dust, identified allergens.
These actions do not replace medical monitoring, but they prevent a crisis from occurring in a setting where no one knows what to do. A practical supplement is available on the importance of basic asthma treatment. And what to do in case of an asthma attack.
The Texan study finally provides an important social nuance. The increase in returns seemed more marked in the most vulnerable neighborhoods. But this is an association observed in the United States, not proof of causality nor a result directly transposable to France. Above all, it suggests that
housing, access to care, air quality and school organization can weigh on the ability of families to prevent or manage crises.
In the event of unusual symptoms, worsening discomfort or doubt about treatment, medical advice should be sought. The objective is not to anticipate an emergency at all costs, but to ensure that the start of the school year does not coincide with less well-controlled asthma.