Every September, people living with asthma face a unique set of challenges. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), this month has the highest number of asthma attacks, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations of the year. The third week of September is even known as “Asthma Peak Week.”
Why Is September So Hard for People with Asthma?
Asthma makes breathing difficult by narrowing the airways due to swelling, constriction, or excess mucus. In September, many triggers stack up at the same time:
- Ragweed pollen: Weed pollen is at its highest in mid-September, and ragweed is the top culprit for allergy and asthma flare-ups.
- Mold: As leaves fall and humidity lingers, mold spores increase, irritating airways.
- Respiratory infections: Back-to-school season means crowded classrooms, making flu, RSV, colds, and COVID-19 spread more easily.
- Poor indoor air quality in schools: Dust, allergens, and pollution often build up inside older school buildings.
- Extreme weather and wildfires: Heat, humidity, hurricanes, and wildfire smoke can all make breathing harder for people with asthma.
These overlapping triggers make asthma harder to control, especially for children, who often feel the impact first.
What Can People Do to Protect Themselves?
AAFA recommends working with your doctor to create an Asthma Action Plan, staying up to date on vaccines, using HEPA filters to improve indoor air, wearing a mask when needed, and limiting exposure to known triggers like pollen and mold.
How TELLUS Helps During Asthma Peak
At TELLUS, we know that air quality data is the first step toward taking action. Our AirU monitors and the AirView platform provide real-time, hyperlocal air quality information for tracking pollutants like wildfire smoke, pollen, and ozone that can make asthma worse.
By combining data from TELLUS monitors with public sources, AirView gives communities, schools, and families an accurate view of the air they’re breathing.
This empowers people to:
- Know when outdoor air may worsen asthma symptoms.
- Track how weather and wildfire smoke are affecting local air quality.
- Improve indoor air decisions by knowing what’s happening outside.
September may be Asthma Peak Month, but with the right information, you can take steps to reduce risk and protect your health.
Read the full article from AAFA here: https://aafa.org/asthma/living-with-asthma/september-asthma-peak-month/
