Risk in air as spring warms up
THE Gold Coast might have emerged from the worst winter flu season on record but the city is not in the clear for seasonal illness yet.
Doctors are now warning of an influx of asthma patients this spring, with unusually warm temperatures already causing sufferers’ conditions to flare up.
Mudgeeraba mum Megan White has four children with the youngest, Damon, 2, diagnosed with asthma last November.
“Damon’s asthma has affected the whole family – it limits us on a daily basis,” she said.
“We can’t make plans any more because we just don’t know what’s going to happen and we can’t take Damon out after 4pm in winter because it’s too cold.
“If there’s high humidity or too much wind we have to keep him indoors too.
“The older kids are really supportive but I worry it’s too much pressure for them.”
As well as the added family pressure, Ms White has noticed that there is very little support or understanding from other people.
“People are always telling me ‘it’s just asthma’ or ‘he’ll grow out of it’,” she said.
“It’s frustrating there’s not more support.”
One in 10 Australians live with asthma and at least one person dies from the condition every day.
Queensland Emergency Medicine Research Foundation spokesman Dr David Rosengren said this current blast of warm weather should be taken as a warning signal.
“Queensland emergency doctors deal with a surge in asthma-related emergency department visits at this time each year which can be brought on by blooming plants commonly seen in spring,” Dr Rosengren said.
In an attempt to reduce asthma-related emergency department admissions, Dr Rosengren asked asthmatics to make sure their medications were current and they had an asthma action plan in place.