your child has asthma then it is important to be aware of all of the triggers that could set off an attack. Some of these can be easy to overlook because you only have to think of them at certain times of the year. For example, there are several summertime asthma triggers that your respiratory paediatrician wants you to remember during the warmest part of the year.

Summer Asthma Triggers

Every child will have different asthma triggers, but here are some of the most common ones that you may need to watch out for in the summer:

• Hot weather can trigger symptoms for some children, possibly because the warmth causes the airways to become narrower.
• Pollen can trigger asthma attacks in children who are allergic to it.
• Thunderstorms can increase the risk of an asthma attack, perhaps because they can exacerbate the effects of pollen, spores and other irritants in the air.
• Air pollution can be worse in summer and is a common asthma trigger.
• Children tend to spend more time running around playing or exercising outdoors in summer, which can put them at risk of an asthma attack if they overexert themselves.
• Chlorine in swimming pools can affect some children, so watch out for symptoms and consider a natural water pool or trip to the seaside instead.

What You Can Do

Although there can be some extra triggers to watch out for in summer, that doesn’t mean that your child can’t enjoy all the fun that sunshine and warm weather can bring. You just need to take the same kinds of steps that your respiratory paediatrician will advise you to take throughout the rest of the year to protect your child:

• Be aware of your child’s asthma triggers and take steps to avoid them when possible, for example by staying indoors when the pollen count is high.
• Make sure your child has their inhaler with them at all times.
• Keep using the preventer inhaler.
• Know your asthma plan so you can respond to an attack.
• Talk to your respiratory pediatrician if you have any concerns.