School is back in session, and Chattanoogans are hopeful that cooler temperatures and football tailgates are just around the corner. Before all the fall festivities begin, it is time to start getting ready to beat those nasty seasonal allergens.
Dr. Todd Levin of Chattanooga Allergy Clinic “Once kids are back in school for about three or four weeks, we start to see a huge increase of asthma attacks,” Dr. Todd Levin explained. “Ragweed is out, they’re getting exposed to mold, roaches in some cases and all those new viruses that they’ve been free from all summer. It’s important to get treated early and be on the right medications to prevent serious reactions.”
He noted that during the beginning of the school year, he typically sees more emergency room visits for children with asthma because of all these refreshed triggers that they are coming in contact with.
“You should certainly start treating the problem before symptoms occur if possible,” Levin said. “Once your symptoms are there, the cat’s out of the bag, so to speak, and it can be a little more difficult to get it under control.”
Allergies can be the underlying cause of frequent sinus, ear and upper and lower respiratory tract infections. Untreated allergies can even exacerbate or cause asthma; according to the Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, approximately 80 percent of all asthma in children and half of all asthma in adults is caused by allergies.