2024-08-27 13:46:43
August 27, 2024
As every year, the start of a new school year can see a spike in asthma attacks among students. How to explain it and how to protect yourself from it?
As the new school year approaches, the Gregory Pariente Foundation (GPFD) warns that returning to school could put tens of thousands of children with asthma at risk. As a reminder, the prevalence of asthma among schoolchildren is estimated to be around 9%. and, “Each year, within two weeks of the start of the school year, we observe a peak in calls for emergency care for asthma in children under 15 years of age,” The French Public Health Service confirmed this in its latest epidemiological report in September 2023. A sharp increase in SOS Médecins (+94%) and an increase in emergencies (+217%). This phenomenon repeats itself year after year.
How do we explain the increase in asthma attacks?
As the Gregory Pariente Foundation (GPFD) points out, there are four factors involved.
Exposure to allergens at school
Dr. Frédéric le Guillou, a pulmonologist and president of the French Santé Respiratory Association, said that 90% of asthmatic children suffer from allergies.. “If mites are found throughout the year, their peak reproduction occurs mainly during the rainy season (March-April and September-October-November), so children with asthma who are allergic to mites are at risk of relapse at the beginning of the school year. It must be Evaluate for symptoms of uncontrolled allergic rhinitis, such as permanent nasal congestion, nasal discharge (rhinorrhea)…” Dr. Flore Amat, a pulmonary allergy specialist at the Robert-Debré Hospital in Paris, explains for Santé Respiratoire France. Is there another allergen in the school? Mold can also cause asthma attacks.
Increasing incidents of respiratory virus infections in schools
Respiratory tract infections, often caused by viruses, can lead to respiratory infections that can contribute to asthma attacks. These viruses circulate year-round, especially in the fall and winter, and can cause epidemics when returned to communities.
Failure to comply with treatment during vacation
Children and adolescents tend to receive less basic treatment during the holidays, which is given year-round—inhaled corticosteroids alone or in combination with long-acting bronchodilators—as opposed to crisis-specific treatment. If treatment is not adhered to, asthma cannot be controlled and asthma attacks will occur once the causative factors become apparent. So at the start of the school year, the crisis multiplies as allergens and viruses come back with a vengeance.
Exposure to formaldehyde in the classroom
Formaldehyde is used in construction as an adhesive or bonding agent for framing, fiberboard, plywood, etc. evidence. The results of research published in January 2024 are clear: “Nearly 30,000 casesasthma Therefore, reducing formaldehyde exposure through air ventilation measures can prevent asthma in children aged 6 to 11 years old and reduce nearly 12,000 cases of wheezing every year by eradicating visible mold in classrooms.
How to prevent asthma attacks?
To prevent a back-to-school crisis, the Gregory Pariente Foundation specifically recommends being alert for the warning signs of asthma that is no longer under control, resuming basic treatment as soon as possible before the start of the school year, and avoiding sharing with others on the same coat rack if possible Rubbing against or rubbing against other people’s clothing.
In response to volatile substances and mould, France’s public health authorities have specifically called for better ventilation systems in schools, incorporating health standards into material selection and improving ventilation in classrooms.
“Finally, teachers and especially medical personnel must be specifically informed of students’ asthma/allergy status,” GPFD summary.
Source: Gregory Pariente Foundation, French Public Health, French Respiratory Health
Written by: Dorothée Duchemin – Editor: Vincent Roche
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