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Sunday, September 8, 2013

Asthmatic Students Vulnerable To Attacks In Sept.

It's a dangerous time of year for asthma-sufferers, especially if you're a student. 

President of the Asthma Society of Canada Dr. Robert Oliphant tells CHSJ News about a quarter of the yearly hospital admissions for asthma happen in a two week period called the September Asthma Peak.

Oliphant says the students are especially vulnerable to attacks at the beginning of the school year because of the mold and dust mites that have collected in the schools due to them being closed up during the summer months. It's also because many of the students are still in vacation-mode and not taking their medication regularly, and thirdly, because of the common cold going around.

To keep it under control, Oliphant suggests a asthma action plan. He says students should be keeping a diary of the kinds of things they need to do to control the condition, including taking their medication every day, usually twice a day. He says regular use makes the lungs less susceptible to an asthma attack.