This 'September Epidemic' is Swine Flu free

WASHINGTON - Besides Swine Flu, doctors will be on the lookout for the "September Epidemic" as school begins in the D.C. area and around the country.

"Believe it or not, asthma is the number one chronic disease among children," says Dr. Jonathan Field, acting editor of the Journal of Asthma. "And there is more asthma reported in September than any month of the year."

Maryland ranks fourth (10.8 percent) and Virginia 18th (8.7 percent) in the most recent figures of asthma among children under 18. There are more asthmatic students in Maryland and the District than New York.

"That was surprising to me," Field says. "When we look for a paradigm of inner-city asthma, we think of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago. It's not clear why the District or the Washington Metro area as a whole have this."

It is clear that asthma flourishes in places where population is dense and summers are hot and humid. Above average levels of rainfall this year also tend to worsen the condition.

"Mold thrives after wet, humid days when we've had a long period of rain, and certainly in the winter, looking ahead, when snow melts."

Because asthma can threaten kid's health quickly and unexpectedly, Field wants parents to prepare for the new school year with an "action plan."

Parents should lay the groundwork for prevention in addition to simply treating attacks when they occur, Field says. They should also know about health policies at their child's school.

"Do they have good care for asthma, and protocols for an asthma exacerbation? Are students allowed to carry Albuterol? Are they allowed to be treated within the school? These are important questions that parents should be asking ahead of time."

Until legislation was passed, many schools did not allow students to carry asthma medication -- an attitude many doctors thought was ridiculous.

"Kids are very savvy when it comes to this. They have had experiences at an early age. I would say by elementary school, {age} six and up," most can be trusted to carry their own inhalers, according to Field.

To parents asking for help preparing an "action plan," Field recommends clicking here.

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