Rates of pediatric asthma are notably higher in Allegheny County than elsewhere in the U.S. (11 percent, rather than the national average of 8 percent). And the team at Allegheny Health Network (AHN) shared with Kidsburgh that a report from Allegheny County’s Department of Health showed kids under age 4 with asthma are more than twice as likely to make an emergency room visit than kids without asthma.
So Pittsburgh-area parents of little ones with asthma are always looking for ways to help and protect their kids.
Here’s some helpful information that AHN Pediatrics shared with us:
Vaccines Prevent Asthmatic Flare-Ups: Respiratory infections are a common trigger for asthma attacks. Vaccinations against illnesses like influenza (the flu) and pneumococcal disease significantly reduce the risk of these infections. That lowers the chance of asthma flare-ups, emergency visits and complications.
Children with Asthma Have an Increased Risk of Hospitalization: Kids with asthma are particularly vulnerable to severe outcomes from respiratory infections. When they get illnesses like the flu, they are more likely to experience severe asthma attacks, worsening symptoms and complications such as pneumonia, which can lead to hospitalization. The good news: A 2023 study found flu vaccination lowered hospital visits among people with asthma by nearly 60%.
Family Vaccination is Critical: Given the higher local asthma rates, it is especially important for all family members of children with asthma to be vaccinated. This creates a protective barrier, reducing the spread of infectious diseases that could trigger a severe asthma episode in a vulnerable child.
Photo at top of story by Brooks Rice via Unsplash.