Summer Sports with Allergic Asthma

Outdoor sports are the heart and soul of so many kids’ summers. Those with allergic asthma have a few more challenges with these sports than others, as most are outdoors and amid peak allergy seasons.

Here are a few tips for making summer sports safe and fun for kids with allergic asthma.

Talk With Coaches

The advice you’ll hear most often is to talk with the coaches about your child’s health situation – and we agree. There are likely some games when you won’t be on the sidelines, so it’s important to give the coach as much information as you can. Here are a few ideas:

• Key symptoms of a reaction to look for
• Where your child’s emergency inhaler is (always keep it in the same place)
• When to call 911
• Your phone number for emergencies

Be sure to fill out any forms they require and keep communication open. While a coach may not have a healthcare background, they care deeply about their team and should be receptive to your concerns.

Arrive Prepared

When it’s game time, arrive prepared.

• The first thing is to watch the weather. Are pollen levels high? Did it just rain? How is the humidity? These factors may impact your child’s symptoms and dictate how much game time they may be able to handle.
• Make sure they pack the essentials: in this case, their emergency inhaler and other medications recommended by their provider.
• Staying consistent with antihistamines and asthma treatments can help keep allergic asthma symptoms a bit more manageable.
• Warming up and slowly easing the body and lungs into strenuous activity may help with asthma symptoms, too.

Being prepared is the best way to prevent serious reactions.

Empower Your Child

The best thing you can do for your child is empower them to be their biggest advocate.

Remind them that it’s okay to take breaks, to always alert someone if they experience a flare up, and to take their rescue inhaler when they need it. Asthma can be a big bummer for kids but remind them that they can still do what other kids do, just with some modifications.

Treat the Cause

There is a treatment for allergic asthma – one version is allergy drop immunotherapy. This treatment slowly introduces the body to the allergens that cause symptoms, and over time, the immune system is retrained to no longer react. This can include the reduction of allergy AND allergic asthma symptoms, as well as other allergy-related conditions.

Treatment following The La Crosse Method™ Protocol is safe and effective for children and can help keep their allergic load low for the years to come, and research shows that treating kids early can have a lifelong impact on health. Learn more about treating the cause and find a provider near you to get started.