According to Public Health France, the start of the 2024 school year was marked by an unprecedented outbreak: +75 % of SOS doctors consultations and +98 % of emergency passes between weeks 35 and 36. Four major causes are identified: stopping treatments during the summer, viral resurgence, school allergens and interior pollutants. A fifth factor intrigues researchers: stress. In 2024, SOS doctors noted a double peak, that of consultations for asthma and that of consultations for anxiety among adolescents, raising the question of the role of emotions in these crises.
Be vigilant to alert signals
Never neglect the small signs: breathing difficulties, whistles, chest oppression, night awakenings or more frequent recourse to the inhaler. These symptoms reflect a loss of asthma control. The earlier the detection, the more effective the recovery is to avoid worsening at school.
Take the background treatment before the start of the school year
Do not let the holidays compromise your child’s health. Many children interrupt their summer treatment, but this break weakens their body. Systematically regain anti-asthmatic treatment and that against allergies before the start of the school year. This simple reflex can considerably reduce the risks of hospitalization in September.
Protect your child from school allergens and pollutants
Do not underestimate the school environment. Allergens are easily transmitted via the coats or bags hanging together, the jostles in the corridors or crowded buses. Some premises also house mold and formaldehyde, respiratory irritating in certain furniture or coatings. Identify these risks to better limit them as soon as recovery.
Adopt hygiene gestures and air classes
Make hygiene an ally against crises. Teach your child to wash their hands regularly, to cough or sneeze in their elbow and not to share gourds or covered. Also insist on the importance of ventilation: ten minutes of ventilation before the students arrive and each break significantly reduce the concentration of viruses and pollutants.
Install breathing routines to soothe stress
Do not let stress aggravate asthma. In the evening, set up a short respiratory routine: inspire 4 seconds through your nose, exhale 6 seconds through the mouth. These exercises calm the nervous system, improve sleep and strengthen tolerance for effort. As a bonus, they create a moment of reassuring complicity between parent and child before the start of the school year.
Having your child vaccinated against flu
Protect your child with antigrippal vaccination, still too little known. It reduces the risk of severe exacerbations linked to flu, pneumonia or serious shapes. According to data, an asthmatic child hospitalized for influenza has a risk 40 times higher to develop pneumonia than a non -asthmatic child. Do not report this prevention gesture.
Meet the director of the establishment upstream
Anticipate school daily life. Organize a meeting with management and the educational team to put the personalized action plan, prescriptions and treatments. Check that your child has access to their inhaler at any time, including during outings or sports activities. This administrative step ensures a more serene and secure back to school.
Each return to school recalls how much asthma remains a challenge for many families. By applying these seven concrete gestures, asthmatic children will be able to approach the start of the school year with more security and serenity.