Swine flu complicates asthma season, but that's OK

With H1N1 flu on the horizon, more children than normal are coming in to see asthma and allergy specialists - a good plan for patients and families preparing to deal with the new flu, reported Dr. Deborah A. Gentile, director of the Allegheny General Hospital's Division of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Pennsylvania.

"This year we are very concerned about it," she said in a recent interview.

Allergy season is in full swing, and asthma patients should be seeing their doctors for season flu shots and checkups, she said. "We're in the midst of allergy season -- ragweed, mold. The temperatures change 30 degrees in a day. Temperature change triggers asthma. With the kids going back to school, respiratory viruses are going around - in particular, the common cold."

Gentile said the new H1N1 virus - now the dominant flu in circulation - makes the usual precautions more important. "Even if they're doing well, we want to see them," she said. "With respiratory virus, anyone with any cardio or respiratory conditions is compromised."

The primary precaution for people with asthma, she explained, is to have their condition well controlled, with daily medications, and have a written action plan.

An asthma action plan is a step-by-step guide for preventing asthma attacks, or recognizing and treating them if they occur. It usually includes a list of medications and dosages, signs of an attack, when to seek emergency care and contact numbers.

Gentile said the plan covers what to do if the child gets the flu, including what can be handled at home and when there should be a trip to the emergency room.

Leading a healthy lifestyle is very important for children with asthma, and that includes regular exercise.

"Studies show sleep deprivation, bad nutrition and stress increase susceptibility to viruses," Gentile said.

Gentile pointed out that a child who is allergic to eggs, a component in flu vaccines, can be treated with an antiviral medication such as Tamiflu. If given within a day of the first flu symptoms, the medication can prevent the flu from getting worse.

Advice for avoiding the flu virus is the same for everyone, Gentile said, and young children should be taught good hand washing techniques and told not to touch their face or nose with their hands.

"The best advice is: If you're sick, stay home," Dr. Gentile said. "If they're sick, they're going to make everyone else sick."

For caregivers of children with asthma, there's no time to waste in an emergency.

"If they're having a bad asthma attack in a school setting, call 911," the doctor said. "It's an emergency situation. It's not something to be taken lightly."