Asthma Health Alert

Grass pollen season, which runs from October to December each year, brings an increase in asthma and hay fever symptoms. It also increases the risk of thunderstorm asthma.

• CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THUNDERSTORM ASTHMA

For people with asthma or hay fever, especially those who experience wheezing or coughing with their hay fever, thunderstorm asthma can be sudden, serious and even life threatening. It can also affect people who have never had a history of asthma.

How can you prepare?

During pollen season, there are some things you can do to prepare and protect yourself and your family:

•  If any member of your family has ever had asthma; talk to your doctor about what you can do to help protect them from the risk of thunderstorm asthma, including updating your asthma action plan. Taking an asthma preventer properly and regularly is key to preventing asthma, including thunderstorm asthma.
• If a member of your family has hay fever; see your pharmacist or doctor for a hay fever treatment plan and check if you should have an asthma reliever puffer. These are available from a pharmacy without a prescription.
• If a member of your family has hay fever and experiences wheezing and coughing; it is important to make sure they don’t also have asthma. Speak to your doctor about an asthma action plan.
• Where possible, avoid being outside during thunderstorms from October to December, especially during the wind gusts that come before the storm. Go inside and close your doors and windows. If you have your air conditioning on, turn it to ‘recirculate’.

Please ensure that all clients have an UP-TO-DATE ASTHMA ACTION PLAN and a copy has been provided to Bayley House. Additionally, please make sure their asthma medication/inhalers are in date and carried by them, or have been made available to staff, at all times.